A Mother's Love
by David Knight
Summary: In the aftermath of the apocalypse that the Senior Partners have brought to Earth, Illyria is launched back in time to another dimension and given a second chance. (Chapter 5 Uploaded) Completed
1. Prologue

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't Angel. It belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Spoilers for the Series Finale of Angel are mentioned. I hope you enjoy this._

**A Mother's Love  
By David Knight**

**Prologue: A Tear in History**

Years.

It had to be years. At least that what she thought. How many she couldn't tell nor did it matter to her. The pain she felt in her heart... it would not stop.

_Emotion... If anyone were to say I would have emotions I would have disemboweled them very slowly and then begin to kill them._ Illyria, the only Old One left 'alive' on earth, thought to herself. At the moment, her face was in the dirt.

She wondered if it was even worth it to get up. She was a shell of her former greatness. _... I believe I made a pun or is it a joke... too bad there is no one left to tell me if it is funny... all gone._

Wesley. Lover to Winifred Burkle, the shell that she wore. A human that was her true guide in the modern world of humans; someone much better than her supposed Qwa'ha Xahn. He died in her arms in the battle against the Black Thorn. She killed the Demon Sorcerer that murdered him without remorse.

Gunn. Fred's first love. A human whose appearance did not offend her eyes. She watched him fight valiantly until his end in that dark, water and blood drenched alley. His death was gruesome but honorable.

Spike. The most arrogant half-breed she ever had the fortune to know. Dead or alive she did not know any more. He had gone to help the Slayer and her lot yet never returned.

Angel. Another half-breed and yet she knew no god that even held a fraction of the bravery and dedication he held. More than that, he transcended his limits to reach near god like power... but in the end even that had not saved him from the trap the senior partners had prepared for him and her.

They should have known it was an ambush, yet they did not. The Wolf, Ram and Hart had prepared well for this one. They wanted them gone, wanted to end their resistance, wipe them from existence for their 'crime': setting all of their plans back by at least ten millenniums.

At least.

_They toyed with me like a human. Brought their creatures to hold me back. Allowed me to watch them work upon Angel... until they finally decided to turn him to dust._ Illyria replied in her mind the most recent events in her existence. _But death was not my punishment. Eternal hell they said was mine, for siding with the humans._

She only opened her eyes for a moment before closing them again. "Quor-toth. How ironic. Here I banished several who opposed me and now here I am banished." Though she felt no point to it, Illyria pulled herself off the blood soaked ground and sat down on it. "I wonder how long it will be before some one tries to kill me."

As if on cue, a wild vortex appeared in front of her, yet Illyria made no move to go through it, knowing it was only allowing something inside the hell dimension.

Yet what came out was not demon. Rather it was a man in his late fifties, wearing brown leather garments and holding in his arms a human baby in a white blanket. The man looked around, and his eyes widened when he saw Illyria, "... you?"

"Do as you wish. I have no purpose to..." Illyria trailed off as her senses picked up on the emotions and scent of demon blood, vampire blood... coming from the baby. Slowly Illyria got up, staring at the man in the eyes. The memories that she possessed from Winifred Burkle coming to the surface. "... Holtz. You are Holtz."

"What are you going on about?" Holtz asked, "And how did you come here? You were on earth and you did not look at all like this."

"The child... is Connor. Angel's son." Illyria stated, looking at the baby for a moment before looking at Holtz, "You will raise him to hate Angel and he will trap Angel in a steal box that will rest at the bottom of the ocean. Your actions will cause humans to worship for a time a woman made of bugs."

"What are you babbling about," Holtz snapped, clearly irritated. "I have no time to waste in this prison. Now get out of my..."

That was all he got to say before Illyria put her left hand around Holtz's neck, squeezing the life out of him, while with her right hand she took the baby from him. "I have no time to waste either. I had thought the sorcerer's spell would have simply sent me to the Quor-toth of my time, yet for some unknown reason it has brought me here to this particular moment in history."

"History?" Holtz gasped for air.

"You have no idea how much could be changed by this one single moment. The moment you stole Angel's son and filled him with hate," Illyria said, holding the baby tight to her chest, keeping the child from seeing Holtz at all... as she leapt up and delivered a kick to the hunter's head with so much force that it was torn from his body and sailed away until it could not be seen any more. "Now you never will."

The baby suddenly began to cry in Illyria's arms and the former Demon Goddess was at a total loss as to what to do. "Please stop making that sound. It is offending to my ears." The crying continued. "I command you to stop making that sound!" The crying became louder.

For a moment Illyria considered killing the child, knowing that Connor never existing would affect history. But what of Wesley... would Angel now no longer have a reason not to kill...

The crying interrupted Illyria's thoughts, wondering what she would do to make the baby stop crying. It was then she thought perhaps her appearance was scaring the child. So she changed now, changed into the lie that she could be come, where she could experience and feel more human emotions then she could in her human true form.

She became Winifred Burkle, looking as human as a human could be. Staring at the baby in her arms, a memory of Fred's came alive and before she knew it, she was rocking the baby in her arms singing a lullaby. "Hush little baby don't say a word, momma's going to buy you a mocking bird..." she paused there. "... am I singing?... hmm?"

Illyria looked down at the baby, who had now stopped crying and was looking at her with a look that she had never seen before. And yet this look was... very pleasant to her. She enjoyed it but did not understand why.

As she held on to the child in her arms, rocking it back and forth in the barren landscape of the hell dimension, she felt something she had never experienced before. _What is this that you bring out of me little hybrid of human and vampire?_ she looked up at the violet-red sky, her face looking serious. _We shall be here for some time now. I have killed Holtz, he who would have raised you to hate your father._ Purpose soon started to fill her essence. _I shall raise you now. Raise you to not only bring out your true potential... but perhaps give us all a second chance._

A laugh escaped her lips, "Who would have ever thought I'd ever become a creature like this? Eh little one?" the baby just cooed, bringing a small laugh from Illyria's lips. "Let us go find a place to live. This will be our home for some time."

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Chapter One

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't Angel. It belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. This story takes place right at the end Season 3 episode, the Price. Everything else is straightforward. I hope you enjoy this._

**A Mother's Love  
By David Knight**

**Chapter 1: Hi Dad. Meet Mom.**

_How much bad luck can one person get?_ Angel asked himself as he along with the rest of his team saw static discharges occurring in the air above the pentagram that had been made sometime ago to make Sahjhan corporeal. They had just finished dealing with the parasites that had been starting to infest the hotel only for this to occur. _And if Fred is right the Destroyer is due to appear..._

"RAHHHHHHHHH!!!" was an inhuman scream as a nine-foot tall demon emerged from the disturbance. It definitely was one ugly mother.

"Right about now," Angel muttered, his face becoming grim as he prepared himself for the demon that now charged him.

He was not however prepared to see a gleaming flash of silver come from above and then behead the demon.

"... okay. That's new." Lorne mouthed.

All eyes turned toward the being, or rather person that just killed the demon; a male human teenager with short brown hair, dressed in a red and black leather outfit. A gleaming silver sword was in his hand and a black leather bag of some sort over his shoulder.

But when his eyes locked with Angel's, they widened and he lost his grip on his sword. Then came from his mouth words no one ever expected. "... Father?"

"Wha..." Angel sputtered, staring at the teenager, looking into his eyes and finding something he never expected to see ever again: the eyes of his son. "... Connor?"

Before anyone could say anything else, another demon, even worse than the last came out from the disturbance. It suddenly struck at both Angel and Connor, sending them flying against the wall.

"AT LAST! I HAVE YOU BOY!!!" the demon roared.

"Cykis," Connor groaned, getting to his feet. "You are such a pest you know that."

"Friend of yours?" Angel asked, back up on his feet as well.

"Hardly." Connor replied.

"YOU FILITHY HYBRID!!!" the giant demon bellowed, "YOU ARE AN INSULT TO DEMON LIFE EVERYWHERE! I WILL---"

_SLICE!!_

The demon, as well as everyone else, stared as they saw a glowing green blade shaped like a scythe now sticking out of his chest.

"Now you die." A voice spoke and in one swift motion the demon was sliced in half right down the middle.

Yet the voice puzzled everyone, most of all Fred, because it was her own. Yet the voice was cold and harsh. When they looked to where the second demon had been, they saw the portal closing up but there was a being that they didn't expect to see.

"Oh my god..." Fred muttered... as she saw herself holding a scythe that looked like it was made entirely of green energy. However there were differences in this other her. Such as her hair, eyes, and the edges of her face were royal blue and a gray cloak was worn over a red-black leather outfit that covered every part of her save her head. The face showed no warmth, only coldness.

But that changed a bit when she looked at Connor. "Connor. Did I not say we would leave together so to ensure the holes would be fixed, not so to create new ones?" she asked, lowering her arms and as she did her scythe vanished from sight.

Connor looked down, "Sorry... I just..."

A slight smile came over the other 'Fred's face, "I know. This was nothing compared to what we have been through, but remember to always think first before acting. I have yet to fully instill that lesson into your mortal mind."

Connor just gave her a smirk, "I think your jokes are getting better Mother."

Angel just stared back and forth between his son and the other Fred for moment before asking, "...Mother?"

"Mother?" Cordelia repeated.

The other Fred just looked across from the room. "... Angel." she started to walk towards Connor, her eyes looking everywhere. "... is this... is this really the time that happened?"

"Ooookay..." Gunn muttered, "Is anyone else majorly weirded out about all this?"

"Should we attack the blue haired one?" Groo asked.

"Touch my mother and you'll regret it." Connor snapped, fixing Groo with a glare that could melt through steel.

"The time that happened?" Fred asked. "The time what happened?"

The other Fred turned to face Fred, looking at her in the eyes. "Winifred Burkle... then this is where it happened."

Angel by now was back on his feet, looking at the blue haired woman. She smelt human but that was just an after image, there was something demonic about her. "Okay. I want some answers. Who are you and what have you done with my son?"

The other Fred turned to look back at Angel, "You are as I remember you, yet your eyes are not as haunted as I remember them."

"We've ... met?" Angel asked, "I mean you aren't Fred. You look like her but.."

"In a way, I am Winifred Burkle," the strange woman said, looking around the room. "I believe it would be best if discussed things further, alone."

"Can, Um, I come?" Fred asked, hesitantly.

The other Fred just stared back at her. "No. This is ... seeing you here... it makes me feel peculiar."

"How about elaborating a bit more on that?" Gunn suggested. "Cause I don't trust you right now, who ever you are." He started to walk over to her but Connor blocked his way.

"She's my mother," the young boy started to say, "She's the only mother I've had for the last seventeen years inside of Quor-toth. Try anything..."

"Seven... seventeen years..." Angel gasped, "But... its only been a few weeks..."

"Time flows differently in Quor-toth." Connor said, looking at the ensouled vampire. "... Father please. Just listen to her."

Angel looked the face of his son, into his eyes and saw he was being truthful. He then turned to the other Fred. "... okay. One thing first."

"Yes?"

"You got a name we can call you by?" Angel asked. "Or is it Fred?"

"... No. I am Illyria."

Fred half-instinctively turned to find Wesley, only to remember he wasn't there. She caught Angel's eye and nodded. "Well, if you don't want me," she said, and started for the former Watcher's former office.

"Alright... let's go into my office." Angel said. Illyria said nothing, following Angel into what was his office. The door closed and Connor stood by there up against it as if being the guard.

"... I'll say it again. This is bizarre even for us." Gunn said aloud. "Few weeks ago Holtz grabbed Connor and went into that hell dimension. Now Connor comes out a teenager with a violent version of Fred?"

"Violent or violet?" Lorne asked rhetorically. "I'm going to help Fred with research." He then left to do just that.

"Do you believe it was wise to have left Angel alone with that blue demon?" Groo asked.

"Are you people really this distrustful, though maybe you got just cause in this case," Connor muttered, though getting stares from the people all the way from the other side of the hotel, "Yes, I can hear you from over here you know."

"Angel can take care of himself. Usually," Cordelia said, and stepped closer to Connor. "So... you're Connor."

"Yeah." Connor replied, though his eyes kept darting for a while before looking back at Cordelia. "Is it always this quiet?"

"Quiet?" Cordelia asked.

"It's just..." Connor scratched the back of his head shyly, "I'm kind of half expecting to get attacked by a Balor or a Frackis or some other demon nut that happens to hate me for being able to survive so long even though I'm half human."

"The only demon...." she paused, then smiled brightly and resumed. "The only demon you'll find around here is Lorne." She gestured to where the green-skinned demon had followed Fred into the other office.

Connor looked at him from where he was for a moment. "Hmm. Looks pretty non violent. Though not all demons were bad. I mean, alliances mom made with some demon families over the years..."

"Alliances?" Gunn asked. "With demons? Demon families?"

"I do not think its possible for a human to be able to do such a thing," Groo stated.

Connor gave a smirk, "Mom... isn't exactly human. She's a lot older than she looks."

"Yeah, I guessed that," Cordelia said. "Still... Can I get you anything? Like a drink of water? Something that doesn't scream 'hunter'?"

"Water's good." Connor said.

"So um what happened to Holtz?" Gunn asked.

Connor blinked for a moment before asking, "Who's Holtz?"

"Holtz. The guy who stole you from us. Well, through Wesley, but he did." Cordelia paused again, then shrugged. "I guess that answers it - he didn't survive. I'll be right back."

"One who stole me... " Connor muttered before remembering, "Oh him! The guy that would have helped bring about two apocalypses by raising me to hate my father and try to kill him!"

"Uh, yeah, I guess. Him," Cordelia said before disappearing into the kitchen.

"... say what?!" Gunn asked.

Connor just looked a bit embarrassed. "...I wasn't supposed to say that."

"What is going on? Just who is that woman in there that looks like Fred!" Gunn demanded to know. "I'm really getting very frustrated with all of this. Now I want answers. And if you can't..."

"What I can tell you, what Mom said I could say if we ever came back to this spot in time," Connor started to say as Cordelia came back with a glass of water. "Is that everything past this point has happened for her... happened in a way that is the end of the world way... she doesn't like to talk much about it with me. She doesn't even know why she was given a second chance." Connor took the glass and took a drink before speaking. "I'm just glad she killed the man that stole me from my father and raised me to think for myself instead of being filled with hate like he would have done to me."

"Hear, hear," Cordelia said, sitting down on the bench. "Hate is not a good emotion. You really need a new outfit," she added without taking a breath.

"Why?" Connor asked. "Mom made this for me from the hide of an adult fire dragon."

"That is the skin of a fire dragon?" Groo said in awe, looking at Connor's clothes.

Gunn was still weirded out, though decided to look inside of Connor's bag. "... whoa!" What he found was an arsenal of many bladed weapons, all of various shapes and designs. A bag he couldn't even lift. "How much does this thing weigh?"

"Nearly five hundred pounds. Give or take fifty." Connor said causally.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Hang the skin or stuff it," she said. "But you can't go out looking like that. And no unrelieved black, either. So boring!"

"Yeah and you definitely need to get outside even if its just to see things." Gunn added, taking Connor by his arm and taking him to the door.

"Hey let go of me! What do you think you..." Connor was angry, yet his anger faded right away as his face was in absolute awe. "... its... beautiful..." he just started walking outside, taking in everything. "The sky is as blue as water and the sun... the sun isn't purple."

Cordelia choked. "Purple?"

"Yes and the sky... it changed so many times. Once violet red, then green blue, some times it looked like it was black and white." Connor said absently, looking down at the dirt. He put his hands through it. "The ground... it's clean. Absent of the blood that was always soaked in it every where we went."

Cordelia shook her head, but didn't try to speak.

Connor was about to keep moving but then stopped when saw a car rush right by him. "A demon?"

"What? You think a car is a demon?" Gunn asked.

"A... car?" Connor blinked.

Gunn laughed slightly, "Kid you really are going to have to learn a lot if you want to survive in LA."

"LA? I thought this was earth." Connor said.

"LA - Los Angeles - is a city on earth," Cordelia started, then stopped. "You know, I already explained this once. Groo, you want to try it?"

-----

Illyria watched out the window of Angel's office, looking at Connor first watching the door and then his interaction with the others. "This world will prove to be as much a puzzle to my son as it was for me."

"Look at me." She heard Angel's cold voice and knew that the champion of the Powers That Be was not in a playful mood at all. "I may not know what has gone on, but Connor is my son."

Illyria fixed her own eyes on Angel, matching the stare he was giving her. A stare that only those that had children could possess. "And he has been _my_ son, _my_ life, and _my_ purpose ever since entering Quor-toth. Do not presume to think because I look like Winifred Burkle that I can be handled as if I were her."

"I wouldn't think of that for a second. Fred doesn't have any bit of demon in her; you do." Angel returned. Both 'parents' stared at each other for a while longer before Angel broke it off. "We could do this until the end of time but there isn't any point in it."

"No there is not." Illyria agreed.

"You said you wanted to talk in private, so let's talk." Angel suggested, deciding to ask the first question that was firmly in his mind. "What happened to Holtz?"

"I severed his head from his worthless body." Illyria said causally.

"... oh."

"It was better than the alternative. Allowing him to raise Connor to hate you, hate you enough to want to kill you." Illyria stated.

Angel studied Illyria's face and her voice, wanting to be surer of his suspicions before posing it, "You're from the future?"

Illyria looked at the vampire, her head titled to the left, "Surprise comes off of you in waves, yet I feel that there is an anchor among that surprise... have you gone back in time yourself?"

"Once or twice." Angel admitted. "How far are you from?"

"I do not know. Years meant nothing to me when I came into being on this world in the original timeline." Illyria stated.

"That really doesn't help me much," Angel sighed, "Quite the weapon you were using before. That scythe that you had earlier. It looks like was made of energy."

"It was. That scythe is a manifestation of my will and power." Illyria returned, "A technique I learned from a Demon Lord during my stay in Quor-toth."

"And then you killed him?"

"Actually no." Illyria shook her head, "Vergran was actually one of the few Demon Lords that were among our friends and allies in the hell dimension. He also played chess."

_A demon lord that plays chess?_ Angel mused before looking back at Illyria, "Speaking of Quor-toth, let's move on to another related topic. My son." Angel saw Illyria's eyes lock with his own as he asked, "What was it like raising him?"

Illyria had a smile form on her lips, "I didn't just raise him. He also raised me. That first week, it was very difficult for me, especially with feeding him."

"How did you do that?" Angel asked. "I'm just curious. I mean no bottles, no milk..."

"I gave him milk, but not of a cow." Illyria stated.

Angel stared at her for a moment before realizing what she meant. "...Oh. And how. I don't exactly see how you take that outfit off."

"I don't. Not when I look like this." Illyria started to say, pausing to think of her words, "What I have to say and what you will see with disturb you perhaps. But I ask that you do not jump to conclusions until after I have finished what I have to say to you in its entirety."

Angel said nothing for a while, just contemplating what to do before finally speaking, "Alright. I'll wait. Now, time for show and tell Illyria."

"Indeed," Illyria agreed, as before Angel's own eyes changed her appearance to the real Fred. "The handsome man who saved me from the monsters." She said, speaking in Fred's voice, saying something only Fred could know.

Angel was utterly beside himself, "Wha... wha... what are you? Where's the real Fred?"

The demeanor of Fred's face changed from gentle to cold. "Winifred Burkle died in my time. Her body became my shell that I exist in this world."

"You killed Fred." Angel rasped.

"Not by choice," Illyria returned, still looking like Fred.

"Change back. Now." Angel ordered and Illyria did so. "What do you mean not by choice?"

"I am an Old One. I once ruled this world and then I was killed, but Old Ones do not die like lesser demons." Illyria explained. "My essence was trapped in a sarcophagus within the Deeper Well, where the rest of the sleeping Old Ones are. I had however developed a plan to escape from that well, my sarcophagus to be teleported back here to LA."

"And then what happened? You got loose and infected Fred?" Angel asked, his tone showing his own animosity.

"It is not exactly as you put it." Illyria countered. "One of your servants at Wolfram and Hart..."

"Excuse me. 'One of _my_ servants at Wolfram and Hart'?" Angel interrupted, "Are you out of your mind? They are the bad guys! I would never work for them...never!"

"Not even for your own son?" Illyria asked.

"My son is fine thanks to you..." Angel snapped, then faltered as he realized what he said. "Because of... you..." He fell back into his chair, feeling very weak now. He looked back at Illyria, looking into her eyes, trying to find any sign of deceit or trickery in them or in her own voice.

There was nothing but sincerity.

"...why?" Angel asked.

"In the original timeline, Holtz raised Connor to hate you. That hate brought him down the path that he nearly killed you several times, allow him to be manipulated by a higher power which used him in order to create a vessel so that it could exist here on earth," Illyria explained, "It brought peace but robbed everyone of free will and killed people to bring that peace. You broke the illusion and Connor killed the being... but it drove him over the edge. He held innocent people hostage including Cordelia, who was in a coma."

"I couldn't do anything?" Angel asked.

"You did... by agreeing to run Wolfram and Hart's LA office. They altered everyone's memories save your own, to give Connor a new life but forget everything else." Illyria replied, "And from that point on, your entire team worked for Wolfram and Hart. After a while, one of your employees, who had been one of my followers, got my sarcophagus into the science lab where Winifred Burkle worked. She opened it..."

"And you infected her." Angel finished.

"As I said, it was not by choice, anyone could have been my host." Illyria stated, looking at her own reflection in the mirror. "... but I do not wish it any different."

"So you intend to infest Fred twice?"

Illyria turned back to Angel, glaring at him, "Understand this Angel. When I murdered Holtz I thought I would have simply faded out of existence as normal temporal logistics decree. However it has not happened nor will it happen. My time line is gone yet I remain. I have no intention of allowing history to repeat itself. Not as long as I have the opportunity to change it."

"You show emotion," Angel observed, "I thought Old Ones would have despised emotion."

"You made me more like this, when you had a good amount of my powers taken from me." Illyria replied, "Over time I have regained some. I will never be as powerful as I once was... but that no longer matters to me. What matters to me is my son, to make sure he is safe and can live a good life, a life that is of his own choosing."

Silence passed through the room. Illyria knew Angel was wondering what to do next. Truth be told this is what she was expecting. _A warrior is a warrior forever more._

Finally Angel broke the silence, "You raised my son. He thinks of you as his mother. I'll let you stay..." he then fixed Illyria a look at the meant he was serious, "... but I want to know what you know about the future. Enough to work on stopping these apocalypses you are saying will happen."

"I won't tell you everything at once. That would take too long." Illyria stated.

"Fine. Give me the highlights. We'll work from there."

"The highlights?" Illyria questioned.

"The key moments or players I should be aware of." Angel said.

"Oh."

-----

_An hour later..._

"Are they still talking?" Cordelia asked.

"Yes they are." Groo observed.

"Well at least no one has gone through the glass window yet." Cordy sighed.

"You done sport?" Gunn asked. "How long does it take you to change?"

"How can you people wear such clothing? It serves no protection," Connor's voice came from the other room.

"I learned here not everyday is a battle... and you would look silly and attract too much attention in battle armor," Groo replied.

Connor came out, dressed in one of Wes's left over clothes, a red button down shirt and black pants. "... I feel so vulnerable to attack."

"Not the best," Cordelia said, almost flippantly, "but it'll do until you get some real clothes."

"Real clothes. Wonder what those are made of, even lighter than what I am wearing now?" Connor asked.

Gunn gave a sigh before seeing Fred and Lorne come out of the office, "Hey. Any luck on finding anything about Ill... thing that's with Angel."

"She's not a thing. She's my mother." Connor snapped.

"Your mother is..." Cordelia paused. "Please say that Ill... whatever is better than Darla?"

"My biological mother? Mom didn't know much about her. Except that she remembers that she told my father I was the one good thing that they ever did together, the only thing... and then she killed herself to give birth to me." Connor said softly, looking over at Cordelia, "And if you want to refer to my mother as something else, do it by her name. Illyria."

"If I can remember," Cordelia said with a nod in his direction.

Fred blinked. "She told you that?" She still looked a little spooked, and there was a glint in her eye that made Gunn think she'd discovered something dangerous. Whatever they'd found, though, they'd decided to keep it to themselves for whatever reason - even Lorne was keeping quiet.

Suddenly the door to Angel's office opened and both he and Illyria walked out. Gunn was the first to speak. "So what's the deal boss?"

"Illyria stays with us," Angel said firmly and before anyone could anything he continued on to say, "There is no discussion, no debate, no nothing. She stays. As does my son. Anyone who doesn't like that, there's the door."

Fred stared at him. "Did she tell you who - what - she is?" she asked, almost in protest.

"Would you like to speak with them alone yourself now?" Illyria suggested. Seeing Angel's nod she looked at Connor. "Come son. Let's look around this place, find proper rooms..." her head cocked slightly looking at the clothes he wore.

"Cordelia gave them to me. Said my clothes weren't right here," Connor said.

"They are Wesley's." Illyria noted, with a touch of warmth in her voice. "They look good on you. Now come."

"Sure mom." Connor said as he walked up stairs with Illyria.

When they were out of sight did Angel look back to his team. "Anyone has any problems, voice them but my decision stands."

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Of course, boss," she said sarcastically.

"Did she tell you?" Fred asked with an earnestness that he'd thought charming. "Because even though we couldn't find anything on her, she just doesn't feel like your average demon."

"And no explanation why she mirrors Fred, here," Lorne added. He looked nervous, which was strange for him.

Angel looked at them all for a while, wondering exactly how much to tell. He wasn't sure he trusted Illyria, but she raised his son, brought him back alive. More importantly he trusted her more than he trusted Wolfram and Hart. "... what I am about to tell you does not leave this room."

"Angel, what's with the doom and gloom tone?" Gunn asked.

"What if I told you everything here has already happened. What if the first time around Connor came back without Illyria, except that time he had a stake launcher and tried to kill me and Holtz had raised him to hate me?"

Fred paused. "Doesn't sound particularly good," she said.

"I can help you with the trust issues," Lorne offered.

"What are you saying? That's she's a time jumper or something." Gunn scoffed. "As if time travel..."

"I've had my days reset more than once." Angel interrupted.

"... oh." Gunn said deflated.

"So, that happened, and she came back to fix it? That means Holtz is dead?" Cordelia asked, looking cheered by the thought.

"Illyria didn't expect this to happen to her. To be given a second chance." Angel said. "Where she came from in the future, things didn't turn out well."

"Connor said something about end of the world bad." Gunn replied. "Didn't elaborate. Are you going to?"

"... what Holtz did to Connor, it paved a path..." Angel said slowly, looking at Cordelia. "One that ended up getting just about all of us ending up dead. One by one."

"Ah. So, in other words, that won't happen here?"

Fred shook her head. "Is less likely to," she said. "And did she explained about what she is and why she looks like, well looks like me?"

"Part of it has been stopped, the rest still needs to be stopped." Angel explained, before looking into Fred's eyes. "And yes. She did tell me what she is. She's an Old One."

"Say what?!" Lorne exclaimed. "She's an Old One?!"

"An Old One?" Fred blinked.

"Something tells me that doesn't sound good." Gunn muttered.

"It is not." Groo said, his tone deadly serious. "The Old Ones have not been seen back on Pylea for ages, yet they put even the most fiercest of demons to shame."

"As in Hellgod bad?" Cordy asked.

"The Old Ones were the things that normal demons both feared and revered. It was only after they were all gone that vampires came into being," Angel explained.

"Not to mention they are supposed to have god like powers themselves," Lorne added.

"So what do we do about the Old One that looks like Fred?" Groo asked.

"Like I said, we do nothing. Illyria stays here, at the hotel with us." Angel repeated.

"Angel," Fred started to say, "Why does she look like me?"

Angel sighed, knowing that this had to be answered, though it would be hard on everyone and he had no idea of how things would play out after he said it. "Fred she looks like you, because she came to exist within your body."

"Excuse me?" Fred blinked.

"Angel what are you saying?" Gunn asked.

"There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it as simply as can be," Angel said, "Illyria's essence, it filled your body, Fred... and when you died, your body became hers."

Fred blinked, started to sit down, and realized that there wasn't a chair behind her. She dropped to the floor. "I died?"

"How do we stop that?" Gunn demanded.

"It's already been stopped." Angel stated. "Some things have been stoped by what Illyria has done while others haven't. And we're probably going to have to deal with the fallout as well."

"Fallout?" Groo asked.

"I think what our fearless leader is saying, is that you don't just go mucking around with history without expecting a backlash." Lorne said.

"With every change, something new can happen. Good or bad." Angel said calmly, "Right now, we need to keep this in house. I don't want Wolfram and Hart hearing about any of this for as long as possible."

"What about Illyria?" Gunn asked.

"What part of she stays here isn't clear?" Angel questioned. "I am not saying I trust her completely, but I am _not_ losing my son over this."

"Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer?" Cordelia quipped.

Angel let out a sigh, "I trust all of you. I'm asking you to trust me with this. Please."

Silence filled the hotel for a while. Then finally, one by one, they agreed with Angel's decision. That didn't make any of them feel any better about Illyria.

Especially Fred.

-----

Elsewhere, Illyria had found a room she thought proper for Connor. Connor himself was leaning against a wall. "They don't trust you at all."

"Angel trusts me, enough to allow me to stay here with you." Illyria replied, looking at her son, "And they have good reason to be distrustful. Especially Winifred Burkle."

Connor could only nod. His mother had explained to him when he was eleven that she had once been a demon goddess that had ruled the earth and in modern times her essence had filled out the body of a mortal woman. A kind, gentle woman whose face was the only human face he had known for the last seventeen years of life. The face of the person he called mother.

To see his mother in both forms at the same time was a bit surprising to him. "Do you think they'll ever trust you? Because if they don't, then we can just go back--"

Illyria put her hands on Connor's shoulders, stopping him from completing that sentence. "Quor-toth was never our home, Connor. This is. This is where we belong. We must have patience, for if we do not, the past will repeat itself."

"I don't want it either," Connor shook his head, as he put his arms around Illyria's body in a hug. "I just don't want to lose you mom."

Illyria slowly put her arms around Connor, one arm around his back while the other stroking his head. "You will never lose me, my son. I promise." As she held her son in her arms, Illyria's thoughts turned to the future.

And to a man she longed to see once more.****

**To Be Continued...**


	3. Chapter Two

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't Angel. It belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Enjoy._

**A Mother's Love  
By David Knight**

**Chapter 2: The Morning After**

Gunn walked down the stairs of the hotel. Last night had not been a peaceful night. First thing he had to wake up to would be the massive clean up of demon parts from last night's fight, then having to deal with helping to fix the hotel...

"Wha..." He became fully alert when he saw that the entire lobby looked thoroughly clean, devoid of the body parts and muck from last night. He was about to wonder who was behind this nice surprise... He frowned when he saw the only other person up this morning.

Illyria. She was standing over some plants in the garden outside, yet doing absolutely nothing.

"She's been standing there since the sun came up," Lorne told him as he emerged from the kitchen with a cup of coffee.

"Doing what?" Gunn asked, "talking to the plants?"

"Actually yeah." Both of them turned to see Connor sitting on the stairs, watching his mother. "She does this every morning. Listening to the Song of the Green and a few others."

Lorne smiled.  "Song of the Green... does she sing?"

"She sang to me when I was a baby. It was the only way I'd stop crying." Connor smiled back slightly.

Suddenly Illyria moved and walked into the hotel. She looked at Connor. "How did you sleep?"

"The beds alone make it worth staying here," Connor responded. "I don't remember sleeping on anything that soft."

"I'm glad you feel that way," Illyria said kindly. The softness in her features showed how close to Fred she looked even with the blue look.

"Connor was telling me that you sing," Lorne said with a smile.  "I'd like to hear you sometime."

"Sometime," Illyria replied, before going over to pick up her cloak, which hung over a bench. She put it over herself.

"Mom?" Connor asked.

"I'm going to be out for the day," Illyria said and before Connor could say anything else she continued, "you should get to know your father better than just from stories I have told you."

Connor had to admit, he did want to get to know his father better. "So are you going to go out as is or are you going to go to looking like that other girl from last night like you..." he stopped when he saw Illyria's stare at him. "... crap. I did it again."

Lorne tilted his head.  "I could show you around," he told her gently.  "There are ways for people like us to remain unseen around Los Angeles."

"I think maybe she's got some way of doing that," Gunn muttered, looking at Illyria disdainfully. "Isn't that right, Smurfette?"

Illyria tilted her head. "'Smurfette'? Wesley once called me a blue Smurf. I have yet to know what that is even after all this time."

"Perhaps," Lorne said, "but I think you should know these ways as well.  It might be better for everyone involved."

Illyria was about to move when Gunn called out to her, "just going to avoid the question demon girl? Like how you murdered Fred!"

"Why you!" Connor was up on his feet, ready to hit Gunn until Illyria called out.

"Connor!" Her voice made him halt. Gunn saw how Connor stopped on her word, and then noticed her approach.

"In my time, we managed to trust each other to fight against the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart. Yet here all I see is your disgust and distrust of me," Illyria said flat out as she started to change before their eyes. She changed into Fred, dressed in dark red shirt and skirt, with red shoes. Yet the cold face before Gunn let him know it was Illyria and not Fred. "I can only hope with time, that will change."

"I wouldn't really go out like that," Lorne said gently. "Especially," he added, "if you don't want Fred to know you can do that."

"Um... it's a little too late for that." Hearing Cordelia's voice, they turned to see her and Fred at the top of the stairs.

Connor hung his head. "I really have to learn to keep my mouth shut."

Illyria looked up at Fred, and for both of them to look exactly the same at that moment, the sight was a bit unnerving.

Fred turned away, leaving the top of the stairs.  Without a look behind him, Gunn ran after her, bounding up the stairs two and three at a time.  "Would you like to... return to your former appearance, and I will show you around?" Lorne asked.  Illyria gave him a long, considering look.

"Why do you wish me to return to my former appearance?" she asked.

"Mostly, to cut down on the confusion," he said pleasantly.  "And I wish to get to know you - as you'll be here a while - and I want to get to know your face, not you with Fred's face."

Illyria nodded, her appearance changing back to what it was before. "I believe we should leave now. I am..." she paused for a moment before speaking again, "...not yet prepared to have a conversation with Winifred Burkle."

"It doesn't look like she was prepared to talk to you, either," Cordelia said as she walked down the stairs.  "And Lorne, take her shopping.  I trust your taste in clothes."

"Um, don't mean to wreck things even further," Connor spoke up, "But mom's bodysuit doesn't come off. Only time I've seen her wear clothes is when she's... well..."

Cordelia shot him an irritated look.  "Just go, Lorne."

"Gone," the demon said, offered his arm to Illyria, and swept her off to the basement.

Connor looked down, sitting down on the stairs, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make trouble...its just. I know I was born in this world, but I feel so lost."

Cordelia touched his shoulder gently as she walked past him.  "I imagine whatever you were going to say was probably something better left unsaid," she told him on her way for coffee.

"I know this has to be really hard for you all. I get that you all probably don't trust my mom," Connor said slowly, "But she's not evil. I just hope you can learn to trust her."

"You have to give us _time_," Cordelia said.  "Angel's probably not happy that he doesn't get to raise you as he would have liked.  We're not happy that you were stolen from us.  And Ill... your mother looks way too much like Fred for any of us to be comfortable.  We know there's a story there, but no one's talking."

Connor let out a sigh. "And I thought Quor-toth could be harsh at times. "

Cordelia rolled her eyes, although he couldn't see it.  "Everywhere is harsh at times," she told him flatly, on her way back into the room where he waited. She paused in the doorway.  "Do you want coffee?"

"Coffee?"

At his confused look, she grinned.  "Probably better you don't get started on it.  Never mind."  She walked further in and sat down near him.  "As I said, everywhere is harsh at times.  It's just a different harsh than you're probably used to."

"You mean the part where I don't seem to be fighting side by side with my mother or demon friends against demons that want to kill me for being half-human/half-demon?" Connor asked flippantly. "Yeah. I kind of don't know if I should be feeling really relaxed or bored out of my skull right now."

"Go for relaxed," Cordelia said.  "You can be bored later.  And if all turns out okay, you can be fighting with us against demons that hate you because you have some human in you.  Or, they may like you because you have some demon in you - at least until you kick their butts back to their houses. Or, wherever they live"

Connor couldn't help but laugh. The way she said what she did was just too amusing to him.

Cordelia grinned.  "Yeah, go ahead, laugh at the one trying to help you."

"You're really nice," Connor said between laughs. "And funny. Only Lilim could ever make me laugh like this."

 Cordelia raised an eyebrow.  "Who is Lilim?" she asked, and sipped at her coffee.

"Lilim's the daughter of one of Demon Lords of Quor-toth that me and Mom stayed with over the years. Her dad helped mom teach me how to fight." Connor explained, "I can't believe she even told me her age. But I guess it can be funny if you think about it. She's a succubbi whose over four hundred years old and she still looks like she's only fifteen. She acts like half the time."

Cordelia shrugged.  "So, she's about your age," she said.  "Species age differently."  Then she blinked.  "A succubbi?  I bet that was interesting, growing up with her around."

"Yeah. They are nothing like the vampires I've only heard of. They don't have deformed faces, instead they can just make bat wings come out of out of their backs whenever they want." Connor said, then blinked. "... you know it just hit me. Aside from meeting my father last night, I've never really seen a vampire."

"You haven't?"

Connor shook his head, "None ever got to Quro-toth."

"Probably have a dimension of their own," Cordelia said.  "I'll stick with the ones here.  I know what to do about them.  And you'll meet them.  We seem to attract them."

Connor had a smile on his face. "Cool."

-----

Gunn had gone up to Fred's room. When he opened the door he found her on her bed. "Fred?" he asked as he walked over to her.

She smiled at him, a brittle smile that reminded him of the girl that had just come back from Lorne's dimension.  "Hey, Charles."

As soon he was close enough, Gunn put his arms around her. "I didn't trust Smurfette before, and after this..."

"Well, if she's here, that won't happen to me, right?" She leaned into him, shivering slightly.

"Not if I got anything to say about it," Gunn vowed, holding her tightly. "You aren't going to go through that Fred. I'd rather die first than let that happen to you."

"Oh.  But I don't want you dead," she said.

"That ain't happening either," Gunn assured her. He let out a sigh. "Why does Angel even trust her?"

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Fred soothed.  "I'd feel better if she'd sing for Lorne.  He's never lied to us."

"Yeah that's for sure," Gunn agreed. "...so how are you feeling?"

"Charles..."

"Fred. I want to help." Gunn said comfortingly, "Just how do you feel right now. When you saw what she did?"

"Strange," she admitted after a moment.  "It scares me that she could do things as me, and I wouldn't know until to late.  We've never really had to worry about identity theft before."

"Tell me about it," Gunn muttered.

"What?" Fred asked.

"Nothing."

"Now who's fooling who?" Fred questioned with a knowing smile.

Gunn smiled for a moment before speaking, "I think maybe the part that makes me distrust her is because of how she looks and the whole story behind it that we don't know yet... but that's my only reasons. What she said before, about us fighting against the people from Wolfram and Hart, I don't thinks he was lying about that. Maybe there's some point in Angel keeping her here besides making Connor happy. Just not going to make me feel comfortable about her being here any time soon."

"No," Fred agreed.  "I'm not really that comfortable, either.  And I can't keep hiding.  Not forever," she added ruefully.

"Well you won't have to worry about blue girl for a while now," Gunn said, "She went out with Lorne if I heard right. Going to be showing her how to handle dealing with living in LA as a demon during day light."

Fred perked up, drawing away from him.  "Good," she said.  "I'm hungry."

"So am I. Let's go eat." Gunn smiled.

"I wonder how Lorne's doing though." Fred asked.

"He's probably getting fed up with Smurfette right now. I bet she's boring him to death," Gunn chuckled.

-----

"I was what?!" Lorne exclaimed.

"The casino owner in Vegas had you billed as a star attraction, having green skinned dancers with you, yet you told him who had great destinies and he stole them to be sold on the black market, while he had you stuck inside of a steel bar cage living out your days." Illyria said casually to him. "So unless you actually would enjoy living in a prison, Las Vegas should not be a part of your future."

"Darn it," Lorne muttered.  "There goes one more dream."

"Tell me. Do you know what a Smurf is?" Illyria asked as she followed Lorne in the sewers, as he had said it was best for demons to walk through them during daylight. "All these years gone by and still I have no idea what one is."

"It's a small blue creature on a cartoon," Lorne said with a distasteful grimace.  "They sing in very annoyingly high voices."

"I see. Then that is why Wesley called me a Smurf when he was drunk." Illyria stated.

Lorne paused.  "I know things worked out differently," he said slowly, "but right now, Wes is... persona non grata.  It might be best to not mention his name for a while.  Angel-cakes is still pretty upset, and having Connor back at fifteen might make it worse."

"Connor is seventeen," Illyria corrected him, then stopped. "... Wesley is not with you?" She raised her right hand and between her thumb and index finger blue sparks started to flow from them.

"What are you doing?" Lorne asked in wonder.

"Silence." Illyria ordered, making Lorne confused before she stopped showing sparks. However her face contorted with rage. "NO!" she punched right through a wall, making a rather large hole in it. One Lorne didn't believe could have been made by someone of her slight frame.

"Is... something wrong?" he asked hesitantly.

"I will not allow Wesley to have sexual intercourse with that..." Illyria searched for the correct words to use to describe the woman she was thinking of, as from Winifred's memory being accurate, she would agree with her that the woman in question was a... "...filthy harlot that works for the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart!"

"Filthy harlot..." Lorne blinked.  "Lilah? He's..."  He shuddered theatrically.  "Can you tell me where he is?  I'll get you to him now, if you need to get there."

"I did not see that perverse act happen thank the Ancients." Illyria stated. "I only know that Wesley had intercourse with Lilah because Winifred Burkle learned of it from another person and Wesley did not deny it. What you saw was me accessing her memories, which are stored within my essence."

"Ah."  Lorne thought a moment.  "Well, I think I know where he is now.  I could... introduce you, but you can't mention it to Angel-cakes.  Or, for appearances, Connor."

Illyria thought about this for a moment before speaking. "Show me how to get here under these tunnels. But I shall not see him till night fall."

"Any particular reason?" Lorne asked.

Illyria took a while before speaking, "... I have to think hard about how to approach the human... the man I have longed to see ever since he died in my arms."

Lorne's eyebrows went up.  "I guess Fred wasn't the only one," he said softly.  "I will show you.  And... if you want, I could introduce you.  That might make it a little easier a transition.  But I suggest not going as Fred.  Although," he added, "you might have figured that one out."

"Yes. You would be correct."

-----

**BOOM!!!**

_There goes the punching bag._ Angel mused as he looked down at the now destroyed punching bag. He had been hitting it like he did every morning.

This time however his punches were being fueled by his own self-loathing.

_You must be enjoying this Angelus. I can hear you laughing in the back of my mind._ Angel sighed. He had asked Illyria for the high lights of the apocalypses that were to come. Considering he signed up to run the LA office of his enemies, he knew it was bad.

He just didn't expect to hear that he actually _agreed_ to let his friends take away his soul, let Angelus back into the world of man just to find out about this thing called the Beast... _The fact that I don't even remember him and Illyria does means the puppeteer is already at work and I don't like that._ he growled, knowing that it was the puppeteer who actually was pulling their strings to make sure Angelus was let out.

There wasn't a chance in hell Angel was going to allow his demonic counterpart out of the box. He'd done enough damage the last time he was free. More than Angel cared to remember though he would never let himself forget either.

Angel wasn't sure how far he could trust Illyria, but he knew he could trust her much more than he trust Wolfram and Hart. Especially if trusting Illyria meant he never had to work for them.

And in thinking of Illyria, Angel thought to what else she had done. Something he wish he had the chance to do himself but thanks to Holtz he had been robbed of it: the chance to raise his son, perhaps the only son he would ever have in his life.

_There's so much I've missed of his life. So many firsts._ Angel said sadly to himself. _The first time that he walked, his first words, his first birthday... now he's here but he's seventeen now. He's here, he's safe and alive... so why do I feel like I'm even further from him than when he was in Quor-toth?_

He turned to go up the stairs, only to stop when he saw Connor in the doorway, holding his bag of weapons over his right shoulder.

"Cordelia said you like to train down here," Connor said.

"Um, yeah," Angel replied, looking at his son while he put the bag down. Both father and son stared at each other for a while, not sure of what to say to the other.

Connor broke the silence, "Seventeen years of not seeing my father, and now when I get see you, I can't figure out what to say."

"Well if it helps I'm not much better either," Angel offered.

Connor had a slight smile on his face, "Mom give you cliffnotes version of her life?"

"She did, does that mean..."

Connor shook his head, interrupting Angel. "Mom doesn't like talking much about the past. And I'm keeping my mouth shut with what little I do know, as I'm sure you know more than me. This morning I've managed to make problems between my mom and..."

"Gunn and Fred?" Angel asked.

"Yeah... kind of gave away that my mom can make herself look exactly like Fred," Connor sighed. "It's so weird. Seeing them at the same time like that."

Angel shook his head, though knew everyone would learn about that aspect of Illyria eventually. "You have to understand it's going to..."

"Take time for everyone to accept her," Connor said, knowing what Angel would have said, "Cordelia gave me the same speech."

"Then you have to understand that is going to take time." Angel stressed.

"Yeah. Doesn't mean I have to like it." Connor muttered, taking a seat down on the floor, his back against the wall.

Angel also sat down on the ground, facing his son, "... I tried to find you. When Holtz took you I tried so hard to get you back. I couldn't. Even still I didn't think of you being lost to me. Not forever."

"And now that I'm a teenager?" Connor questioned.

"I won't deny that I'm hurting. Missing all these years of your life, not being there for you, I wish I could have been there for you." Angel told him sincerely. "But I am here for you now. Connor I want to be a part of your life."

For a while there was nothing but silence between them. Then suddenly Connor went into bag and pulled out a weapon one that he tossed to Angel. Angel caught the item in his hands and saw that was it was sword of the purest silver that had a glow all around it. Angel had never seen a sword quite like it ever.

"Consider it an over due Father's Day gift." Connor smirked.

"I... I..." Angel was at a loss for words. "I haven't even given you a birthday present and you give me this?!"

"Well, you can start paying me back for seventeen long over due birthdays," Connor said, the smirk never leaving his face as he got up on his feet. He pulled out of his bag the sword he had from last night and got into a fighting stance.

Angel couldn't help but smile as he got to his own feet. "Sure you want to go at it this soon?"

"You afraid to lose someone two centuries younger than you?" Connor quipped, trying to get a rise out of his father.

It didn't work. "I don't fall for taunts son." Angel shook his head, "I just hope you know what you are in for."

"I've trained with mom and demon lords for almost a decade," Connor said confidently, "Wonder how good you are."

"You want to do this or you just want to keep talking?" Angel asked.

Silence filled the room, and that was answer enough for both of them. Connor was the first to move, striking with his sword, yet Angel was already there to block the strike. Both blades met each other, the two struggling to see who would be the one with the edge.

_He's strong and skilled._ Angel observed; he couldn't help but feel pride in his son if his skills from this opening exchange were any indication.

_Holy... he's definitely in Kanan's league!_ Connor stared, remembering how Kanan was one of the best swordsmen in Quor-toth and he had studied under him. Connor knew from what his mother had told him, that his father was a great warrior but as he got older he put less faith in legends and more in seeing with his own eyes.

Connor was seeing that his father was every bit the man his mother described and then some.

_Still, I don't want to lose._ Connor gritted his teeth as he fell backwards, hoping to roll back onto his feet and then try again.

Unfortunately for him as he tried to do that, Angel kicked his sword out of his hand. The surprise of that made Connor fall on his back. He was going to get up but saw his father have his sword at his throat, in mock position. Connor let himself stay on the ground, "This is so embarrassing. I've never got beaten this quickly. Ever."

"Don't try falling backwards like that again. It leaves you to open. You should try moving toward the sides if you want to get a reprieve." Angel advised him as he lowered his sword and offered a hand up to Connor.

Connor took it, "Thanks." He said as he got back on his feet.

"You're not that bad at all." Angel said.

"I had lots of teachers." Connor replied.

"Then I guess you won't mind if I be your teacher?" Angel asked.

Connor had a smile on his face, "Definitely. Training is definitely a way to beat being bored here."

Angel just smiled. He had missed a lot of his son's life. Talking wasn't exactly his strongest suit and trying to talk to his son, in this situation, was a bit awkward, for both of them.

But fighting, fighting it seemed was a place where they had common ground. _My son is a warrior. His life in Quor-toth made him one. As warriors, by training together I can get to understand my son better. Everything else will follow from there._

"Hey dad you tired already?" Connor asked, shaking Angel out of his thoughts. "Just because I lost one match doesn't mean I want to stop training."

"Just for that," Angel smirked, "We're going to work on seeing how good you are at fighting without weapons."

Connor just shrugged, "Weapons or no weapons. Either works for me. I just want to have a work out."

Angel laughed lightly, "Believe me, you're going to get one, son."

Connor had a small smile on his face, "Thanks dad."

The two of them moved a bit further into the room before deciding to fight each other with their bare hands. For anyone that could see them sparing, the smiles on their faces could not be missed.

-----

They were not missed by a certain former high school cheerleader.

_I may not know what to think of you just yet Illyria,_ Cordelia mused as she watched father and son continue their sparing brawl. _But raising Connor to love his father and getting rid of Holtz before he could make Connor hate Angel. That gets you points on my nice demon list. _She decided to leave them to their bonding in a warrior style, as she didn't feel it was right to disturb them at all.

_Besides I think I heard footsteps from up stairs. I better stop Gunn or Groo from making another kitchen disaster._ Cordelia shuttered as she went up the stairs, hoping to never go through that again.

**To Be Continued...**

_Author's Notes: I'm amazed at how many review I'm getting for this story and how fast considering I only put it up two days ago. This will definitely be one my constant project works._

_For those of you expecting Wesley, he'll be around in the next chapter, as Angel and Connor are going to have some more father and son bonding... in a bar full of vampires. _

_Until then._


	4. Chapter Three

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't Angel. It belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Enjoy._

**A Mother's Love  
By David Knight**

**Chapter 3: Conversations in the Moonlight**

Alone.

That was what he was in this world right now. Completely and utterly alone.

_So why do I even bother to stay here?_ Wesley Wyndam-Pryce asked himself once more. As he poured himself a glass of wine, he knew just how rotten his entire life was. How even with the best of intentions, it had all be a great big cosmic joke in his face.

Throat slashed, nearly died from that, then nearly murdered by his former friend and employer. _Yet Angel has just cause... but me, who else is there to blame save for myself. Or what to do now for that matter._

"You have mail."

Hearing the new mail tone come from his labtop, Wesley went over to it and saw he had a new letter in his inbox. He opened it and it read '782 West Palm Terrace. 8:30pm. Come alone.'

_... why not?_ he asked himself after some thought. _What else do I have to do? _Grabbing his coat, he left his apartment and walked out.

He had no idea that he was being watched.

-----

"He is leaving." Illyria said to Lorne as she watched Wesley exit his apartment.

"Well then should we wait or what?" Lorne asked.

"We follow. I have no idea where Wesley and the harlot had intercourse, but I shall prevent it." Illyria said firmly.

"Well that's definitely something I don't want to see," Lorne shivered theatrically. "Wonder what Angel-cakes and the others are doing now."

-----

"Anyone see Groo?" Cordelia asked.

"Not since he told me he was going for a walk," Fred said. "But then, that was ten this morning."

"Speaking of missing people, where's the rest of the team not to mention Smurfette?" Gunn questioned.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Lorne's still with Illyria doing... hey I remember her name! Wow talk about surprises."

"Cordy," Gunn pressed.

"As for Angel and Connor, where do you think those two are?" Cordelia asked.

Fred walked over to her, her eyes a bit wide. "You mean Angel hasn't come out of the basement since the morning?"

"He and Connor are having a bit of father-son thing going on," Cordelia explained, "in the macho warrior fighting kind of way."

"I don't know if I should be worried about that," Gunn muttered, "I mean, I know Angel can go without really eating but the kid..."

"The kid can go six days without feeling hungry at all. Mom's training." Connor spoke as he and Angel came out from the basement, both of them dressed in all black clothes.

"... what?" Angel asked Cordelia when he saw her staring at them.

"Okay. As much as I like how you two seem to be bonding, I am so not letting your son copy your wardrobe!" Cordelia vowed. "I mean one of you in nothing but black is more than the world needs. I am taking Connor shopping tomorrow."

"Shopping? But I going to train with my dad..." Connor started to say, but Cordelia came to him with a glare that actually unnerved him.

"You can train some other time junior, but we are going to go shopping and pick out a wardrobe for you that does not scream doom and gloom. Got it?" It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Connor looked over at his father. "... she can be scarier than most demons when she wants to."

"Tell me about." Angel mouthed softly.

"Excuse me!" Cordelia snapped, hearing what Angel had said. "You've got some... some..." She trailed off then, as she appeared frozen, zoning out everyone else. "Oh boy."

"Cordelia?" Angel asked.

"A bar... some bad emotions..." Cordelia muttered, "and cheesy background music to boot."

"What is she going on about?" Connor asked.

"Looks like you two got saved from Vision Girl by Vision Girl getting a vision," Gunn quipped.

"Gunn knock it off," Angel said as he moved towards Cordy. "Cordelia. What's happening?"

After some more shouting, Cordelia awoke from her vision. "There is a woman at a bar and there's a gang of vampires that are after her. You have to help her."

"The Powers seem to keep my job very active." Angel mused.

"Job?" Connor asked.

"I gotta go take care of this. It could be kind of dangerous. There's a lot of killing and violence." Angel said to his son, "You wanna come?"

Connor smirked. "Absolutely."

-----

_Why am I even here?_ Wesley asked himself as he put his hands on the balcony railing of the bar, which overlooked the main floor. He was scanning the crowd below when he heard a voice.

"I see you got my invitation."

"Lilah," Wes said simply as he turned to face her.

"I thought the 'come alone' was a particularly ironic touch," Lilah said with a grin, "I mean, how else would you come?" He started to walk past her, but Lilah held out a hand to stop him. "Don't rush off. Just look over there," she said, pointing below.

Wes looked down and he saw someone wasn't expecting sitting at the bar.

Justine.

"I went to a lot of trouble to arrange this little show for you." Lilah commented

"Good bye." Wes said, starting to walk away.

"Okay, but leave now and you'll miss her big death scene." Lilah smirked, knowing Wes had stopped. "Don't tell me you wouldn't like to see the bitch that slit your throat and left you to die get a little of her own back."

"What's going on here, Lilah?" Wesley questioned

"Some source - can't imagine who-" Lilah said with an amused look on her face, "-tipped her off that tonight this place would be filthy with vampires. Which, as it turns out, is true."

"Right," Wesley said with sarcasm, "because that same source tipped off the vampires that _she_ would be here."

Lilah just shrugged. "Seems she has been pissing off a lot of undead Americans lately."

"And you thought I'd enjoy a box seat for her slaughter?"

Lilah smiled brightly at him. "Well ... yeah."

"You really don't know the first thing about me, do you?" Wesley asked without even looking at her.

"Probably not," Lilah admitted. But as Wes turned around to walk out she stepped closer to him. "Like, will he go straight to his car, or will he stop to warn her first?"

Wesley stopped walking out, yet he didn't turn or say anything to Lilah.

Lilah had a smile on her face. "He has to think about it. That's good. That's all I really needed to know." Satisfied with his reaction, she turned away from him. "You can go."

"A _test_ Lilah?" Wes asked as he took a step after her.

"Oh, don't look so grim," Lilah said casually. "I just needed to know whether or not I was wasting my time. And to prove we're still friends, I'll have her pulled out of there before anything _really_ lethal happens. That way you don't have to torture yourself as to whether or not you did the right thing."

Wesley didn't say anything. Instead he looked past Lilah to the floor below and took a step closer to the railing. "I don't think that will be necessary."

"Oh?" Lilah asked as she stepped up next to him, and saw an 'old friend' moving through the crowd. _Should I even be **surprised**?_

-----

"There's so many people," Connor mouthed, following right behind his father.

"Bars are popular hangouts, for humans and vampires," Angel replied, before looking back to his son. "Got your stake?"

"In my back pocket." Connor said, "Though I'd feel more comfortable with my sword or one of my other weapons."

"We can't have swords in public places. It would cause too many problems, mostly with the authorities," Angel explained. "Remember, go for the heart. Also, there's a lot of innocents here, so don't go staking anyone until you see them with their game face on."

Connor nodded, having seen his father's demonic visage earlier. Compared to some of the faces he had seen in Quor-toth, that was absolutely nothing to be worried about.

He did however become concerned with how his father had stopped moving. "Dad? What is it?"

"Not what," Angel said slowly. "Rather whom."

-----

Justine Cooper finished downing her drink, though she was also trying to drown her feelings. _Everything's just one big screw up. Even my wish for revenge. What has it gotten me in the end? I'm just a pawn in someone's sick game. But even still, I'll just keep dusting vamps until the day I die._

"Ready for another?" the bartender asked her.

"No. I'm done," Justine muttered, not even paying attention.

Something she cursed herself for when she saw the bartender vamp out, grabbing her by the arm. The two guys beside her also had their game faces on.

"You're not wrong," The vampire bartender sneered.

"She thinks she a Slayer," one of the vampires said.

"She's about to learn different." The other vampire said ready to strike... only to find something sticking out of his heart.

Justine and the other two vamps watched as the vampire turned to dust, revealing a certain champion right behind him. "I didn't expect to find you here, Justine."

_Angel?!_ Justine's eyes went wide, seeing him being the one to save her. _After all the shit I've pulled, he saves my life?!_

"This doesn't concern you soul boy," the other vampire growled. "Isn't this bitch trying to kill you?"

"She couldn't do it even if she tried and she's tried a couple of times already," Angel said casually. "Now we can do this one of two ways. Either you can all walk away or..."

"Or what? You'll kill us? Please. As if I haven't heard that before. I mean--" the vampire next to Justine suddenly turned to dust, and standing behind him was a teenager.

"I hate guys who just love to talk instead of fight," the teen spat. "Wastes time. Still, killing vampires is pretty straight forward." He stopped to look at Justine only to stare into her eyes.

Justine did the same and couldn't believe it. _... the baby! But—But he's a teenager! How?! _

Suddenly the bartender pulled Justine up on to the bar, and then threw her into the shelves of bottles behind the bar. "You're so dead!" he shouted. He gave a whistle and suddenly more vamps started to come towards them.

"In your dreams." The teen smirked as he threw his stake right at the Bartender and it found its mark in the heart. Justine watched as he turned to dust and then saw Angel look at her.

"You're no good in a fight when you're drunk. Get out, now!" Angel ordered her.

For once, Justine didn't bother to argue with the vampire. She ran out of the bar through the back, her mind already thinking of what she learned. _The baby! The baby is here! That means Daniel has to be here! I have to..._

And then for the second time that evening Justine found herself restrained, only this time it was by the throat and by the most unlikely of people.

"We will talk."

-----

_Well... this is sure is an unexpected surprise._ Lilah mused as she watched the young man Angel had brought with him dust the bartender, allowing Justine to flee. "Who's the boy wonder? He moves just like..."

"...his father," Wesley mouthed.

_WHAT?!_ Lilah stared at Wes with wide eyes for a moment before turning back to watch the fight. _That high school teen is actually Angel's son?! How in the hell is that possible! He was a baby until Holtz took him into that hell dimension a week or so ago!_

Lilah could do nothing except watch on as the apparent father and son fought off the vampires, though in the back of her mind she wondered if Holtz was in fact alive, and if Justine would be running to him.

-----

Illyria was holding one of the persons that Lilah was thinking of against the building wall, her left hand around Justine's throat. "You nearly killed Wesley. Slit his throat."

"Wh-what are you?" Justine gasped. "How did you..." The pressure around her windpipe increased.

"I am trying to determine if it is worth it to kill you. If the world would be better or worse off with you gone." Illyria mused. She knew however whatever she decided to do with Justine had to be soon. Lorne was waiting for Wesley outside and she needed to be with him.

"If you are going to kill me... go ahead..." Justine spat. "Just know Holtz will get you."

Illyria tilted her head sideways, "How does a man I killed seventeen years ago 'get me'?"

"W-what?" Justine gasped, all of the color fading from her face.

"I killed him. Raised Connor as my own."

"You... you monster! What are you!" Justine screamed. "You killed the only man that could have done what was right for humanity! What makes you..." She stopped when she saw Illyria's eyes spark with blue energy.

"'Done what was right for humanity?'" Illyria hissed, her tone laced with venom. "Would you care to see the future that your so-called 'hero' would have created if he had raised Connor to hate Angel?" She raised her other hand, her thumb and index finger out and electricity sparked between them.

Justine was forced to look into Illyria's eyes, where she saw the unimaginable. Darkness and fire along with death and suffering; humanity given peace but stripped of their free will and their ability to chose their own destiny.

But the worst for her was hearing from a memory, how she killed Holtz to make Connor hate Angel forever.

This was not the future she wished; it was a hell. A hell she would have helped to create.

And what would her sister think of her for creating such a thing?

"Enough... enough please!" Justine cried out, tears flowing from her eyes. To her surprise, she was let down gently instead of being dropped. "... why?"

"You nearly killed Wesley," Illyria started, "and yet it is because of what you did that I have the greatest gift I have ever come to know. A gift that makes the godhood I once held meaningless. You deserved a chance to change. Now we are even."

Illyria stepped out of Justine's way, yet the former lieutenant of Holtz didn't move. "Go. Now. Know this since we are even: speak of this to anyone or harm those I care for ever again, I will kill you."

Justine took off then, and as she left Illyria could feel her emotions come off of her. _Confusion, anxiety, fear and concern all crash against me..._ Her lips formed into a smile. _That means she will think now. That is good._

From the open door she could hear the fighting still going on. She took a quick peak, to see her son and his father fighting together against the vampires. She knew they would be triumphant for certain, but that was not the point.

The point was she saw the two of them together, fighting together, and enjoying every moment of it.

_I'll leave them to their devices. I have my own matters to attend to,_ Illyria mused as she walked away to meet up with Lorne.

After all, she still had a man to meet with.

-----

Lilah saw the fight was just about over now, though she didn't have any doubts about who was going to walk away the victor. "Now tell me you're not interested," she asked Wesley, yet she got nothing. When she turned around, Wesley was gone.

"Oh well, I still got what I wanted out of this night," Lilah mused as her lips curved into a smile, "and then some." She walked out of the bar and to her car to head on back to the office.

She couldn't wait to see Gavin and Linwood's faces when she told them about tonight's events.

-----

Wesley could see the moon through all the light pollution, but none of the stars. Turning away, he walked down the street slowly. He had a lot to think about. Connor was back, and working with Angel, apparently. That was good. If he'd ever needed proof that different dimensions moved at different times, he had it. But... what, seventeen years in a few days? That was wild. Maybe he'd be better off in one of those dimensions. Although he probably still wouldn't escape Wolfram and Hart....

His thoughts came to screeching halt when Lorne stepped out of the shadows, positioned so that only Wes could see him. He drew back a step, reaching for a weapon he no longer carried.

"Hey, Wes. How are you?"

Wes blinked in surprise. "I've been better," he rasped, half-amused by the illogical question.

"I have someone here who wants to meet you."

Wes drew back another step, and Lorne shook his head. "She says she'd never hurt you."

"Do I know her?" he rasped, and wondered if he'd ever get his voice back.

"Not yet." A voice Wesley knew well spoke. A woman stepped out of the shadows, a woman who looked like a strange, warped version of Fred. She was dressed in a patchwork red leather bodysuit, with her hair, eyes and fringes of her face colored royal blue. "Hello Wesley."

"But you know me," he said wearily. "Should I be worried?"

"I'll leave you two to talk," Lorne said. "You can find your way back?" he asked Illyria, and she nodded without turning away from Wesley. He found it a little strange.

"I can show her, if you're still at the hotel," Wes said. "We can talk at my place," he added as Lorne faded back into the shadows.

Wes led her back to his place - a run-down, bare apartment - through the darkest parts of the city. "Its late enough that you won't be noticed except as someone who was at a strange party," he said as they crossed a moderately well-lit street. There were no people around. He led her upstairs and carefully locked the door behind them.

Illyria looked at Wesley for a while, just looking at his face. "Confusion, anxiety, bewilderment. All that and more I can feel coming from you, curling off your body like colored smoke."

"I understand that you're a demon," he said wearily. "But I don't know how you know me. Do you want some water or something?"

"No. I have no need of it," Illyria said slowly, but saw he was looking at her with wariness and discomfort. Mainly because of her own appearance, but also because he knew nothing about her, yet she knew him. _He is not the same Wesley I know, but this is before he met me. How can I acquire what I want... or is it possible some things will be denied to me even in a second chance?_ She looked back to Wesley, who had not spoken a word for some time.

It was then that Illyria realized that if she was to have any chance to gain even his friendship, she knew that she had to be honest with him. "... I am from an alternate future."

He froze, then took a deep breath. "That would explain, I assume, how much you look like Fred."

"Yes... her body is my shell." Illyria explained. "I have her memories, as well as the ability to look exactly like her."

"Please... don't," he said in a strangled voice, and groped for a chair. When he'd found one, he sank down in it. "But Fred is still alive?" he rasped, his voice hoarser than normal.

Illyria tilted her head sideways. "In which context do you mean?"

"Now," he said. "I mean, she hasn't become... you and I missed it, did she?"

"No. She has not died. Nor will she ever now that I have ensured none of you will ever go to work for Wolfram and Hart," Illyria replied. "Angel has no reason to agree to work for them since I have raised Connor to love him, where Holtz had raised him to hate his father."

Wes blinked. "We worked for Wolfram and Hart?" There were so many implications in that sentence, that he grasped the one closest to his thoughts - Lilah and her offer of a job at that... firm.

"A long and complicated tale which..." Illyria stopped, staring at Wesley. "... you have not have sexual intercourse with that filthy harlot have you Wesley?"

Wes blinked and was glad he was sitting down. "Filthy Harlot?" he asked. "I haven't slept with anyone since..." He paused. "Since before being called to Sunnydale," he finally said. "Which filthy harlot are you talking about?" It didn't occur to him to even wonder about the venom in her voice.

"The one that works for the Wolf, Ram and Hart. She who I and Winifred Burkle despise, though perhaps I with more of a passion than she." Illyria stated.

"Lilah?" He nearly burst out laughing, then sobered at the implications. "I was about to say I would never, but I obviously did, in your timeline. No," he said, seeing how much it meant to her. "I haven't." His mind spun. "Would you... please, sit down, and tell me this long, complicated tale? I think I'd better hear it."

"I shall, but you mustn't tell anyone what I tell you," Illyria told him, her features softened, "and I am glad, you have not had intercourse with the harlot."

"So am I and I won't say anything to anyone," Wesley replied. "...I just realized I don't even know your name."

"My name is Illyria."

------

At the Hyperion, Angel stood in the doorway of Connor's room, watching his son. Soundly asleep, he reminded Angel of how he had slept when he was in his crib. Illyria and Lorne hadn't come back yet, but he agreed with Connor that Illyria could take care of herself.

_After all, she probably stronger than me,_ Angel mused.

"You look happy." Angel turned around to see Cordelia behind him, a smile on her face.

"I am," Angel admitted. "You should have seen us together tonight. It felt so..."

"So right?" Cordelia offered, surprising Angel. "After you left I had another vision. I was seeing the two of you together, fighting side by side. You two really went to town on those vamps you know that."

Angel laughed slightly. "Well... yeah. I've missed so many things with him Cordelia. So many firsts."

"Well being there when he staked his first vampire had to mean something, right?" Cordelia asked. Seeing Angel's confused look, she laughed. "You don't know, do you?"

"Know... what?" Angel asked.

"That until this very night, Connor's never staked a vampire in his life!" Cordelia smirked. "They don't have them on Quor-toth, silly!"

"They don't?" Angel blinked, surprised completely by this. He looked back at his son's sleeping form, a rather proud look on his face as well as a bit of a goofy one.

"It's the moments when you look like this and not like the brooding Dark Avenger that make this job of mine worth while. Smile."

"Smile? What do you mean--" Angel stopped when he saw Cordelia had a camera had just taken a picture of him.

"Yes! I finally capture you looking human on film!" Cordelia cheered. "I mean after all, the whole Vampires can't be caught on camera thing is just a big myth."

"Cordy, give me that camera." Angel asked.

"Um... no!" Cordelia smirked as she ran away, with Angel right behind her.

"Cordelia give me that camera!" Angel called after her. He did _not_ want anyone seeing that picture.

-----

There was someone else just did see that entire exchange, although neither Angel nor Cordelia saw him.

_My princess, is it me you love or is it him?_ the Groosalug asked himself. He had seen how his princess seemed to go to Angel now, be so concerned for him, since Connor had been taken and even more now that he had returned with the different Fred.

He had taken his walk away from her today to try to think if he had a place here and if he really believed that it was just her friendship towards him. The walk had done nothing but strengthen his doubts.

_Night is not the best time to think of such matters... but tomorrow is the right time to talk to her._ He decided to return home to rest, so that he might think of how to approach his princess come the morning.

-----

"Are you alright Wesley?" Illyria asked. She had finished telling Wesley everything that she knew and that she had learned from her memories from Winifred Burkle. Yet for five minutes now he had not said one word.

"I'm not sure," he said slowly.

"Do you..." Illyria paused, not sure if she wanted to even say the words, yet knew that she had to. She needed to know how he felt. "Do you hate me, Wesley?"

He laughed, which surprised him. "Do I hate you? Why would I hate you?" But the question was almost carelessly asked, as if he weren't even concentrating on it.

"You hated me when I pretended to be Fred. You then distanced yourself from me, and yet still helped me," Illyria said softly. "You were my guide in the world. The one person that actually helped me discover a humanity I did not believe I could have." She looked into his eyes, her gaze being a sad one. "I felt grief, grief that I could not control when you died in my arms so many years ago. I never..." her voice choked with emotions for a second as she tried compose herself, "I never thought I would ever see you again."

"Ah," Wes said. After a moment of silence, he took a deep breath. "I am not that man," he finally said. "And I won't be that man, the one that hated you." He paused again, wishing he could smile and ease her pain a little, but the smiles had been smothered out of him in the hospital. "But that is not to say that I cannot be that man that you loved." Because, he added to himself, you never said if I loved you.

Illyria wanted to say something to that but could not. Yes, she knew now that she did in fact love him. It was through raising Connor that she discovered love to begin with and it was from that love that she could understand her own emotions. "I... I understand Wesley. But even... even if that does not happen, can we not become friends?"

Wes nodded wearily. "I am very short of friends right now," he said softly. "I would not mind having one more. But you won't be able to tell Angel."

"I can accept that," Illyria said, a smile on her face. "I should go now though. My son will be wondering by now."

"I can show you how to..." Wesley started to say until he saw Illyria wave her right hand and a vortex appeared.

"I can get back on my own," Illyria replied, and smiled kindly to him, "but thank you for your offer Wesley. Have peaceful dreams." She walked through the vortex and then both she and the vortex vanished.

Wes took a deep breath. "You'd think I'd get used to things like that," he muttered to the air, and went to bed.

He couldn't sleep. The things he'd learned that evening rolled over and over in his head until he finally sat up. _This is ridiculous,_ he thought. _None of what she said is going to happen._

But he knew it didn't work like that. Some of the things were bound to happen. She would come back, this Illyria, only this time, there would be no Fred for her to inhabit, no love-mad former watcher to follow her to see the destruction of all she expected to be there, no one to show her what it was like in this world. He sighed. Somehow, he couldn't feel bad for that Illyria.

But this one was something else. She loved the him-that-was, and seemed willing to love the him-that-is-now. He chuckled mirthlessly, wondering when Buffy, Willow and Fred had all conspired to drive him mad and speak in his thoughts. Holtz... was dead, she'd killed him herself, and the rest of them had discovered that the prophecy he'd risked his life to avoid was false.

False. There was a reason he was a FORMER watcher.

A thought intruded on his self-condemnation. She wanted to be his friend. "Friend," he said into the dark, trying the word out. It didn't taste as bitter as it had the last time he'd said it, before she'd come. He thought he could like this Illyria. And that was a good place to start.

Wes lay down again and closed his eyes. Sleep claimed him almost immediately.

-----

At Wolfram and Hart, Linwood Murrow had a smile on his face. Granted he didn't let anyone see it until they were all out of the room. Still, how could he not smile after what Lilah had told him.

_The vampire hybrid and fully grown no less... perfect time to take him for dissection._ Linwood chuckled as he picked up the phone. "Yes Kerry, get me Black Ops would you please. I need them to clear their schedule for the next seven days at least." He paused for a moment before giving his response, "just let them know that if they manage to pull this job off, I might consider giving them their early retirement packages now."

One way or the other, that boy was going to belong to Wolfram and Hart.

**To Be Continued...**


	5. Chapter Four

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't own Angel. It belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Enjoy._

**A Mother's Love  
By David Knight**

**Chapter 4: Night at the Movies**

Connor awoke from his sleep to a very pleasant sight. "When you get in?"

"You were slumbering soundly when I returned," Illyria replied, her back against the wall, her royal blue eyes looking lovingly at her son.

A look that Connor caught well and sensed something else behind it. "Looks like I wasn't the only one that had a good time yesterday."

Illyria smiled mysteriously, "You could say that." She stood up right suddenly. "Now get dressed. Time for training."

Connor eagerly did just that, wondering how it would be to have both his mom and dad training with him at the same time. _One hell of a workout that's for sure!_

-----

Cordelia stepped into the lobby of the hotel and grinned at Connor as came down the stairs, Illyria beside him. "Hey, Connor! Ready to go?"

"Go?" Illyria questioned.

Connor groaned. "Oh right. Um, Mom, Cordelia said that she was going to take my shopping today."

"Oh," Illyria said simply. "After you've trained with me and then your father."

"Nope," Cordelia said firmly. "He'll have plenty of time to train in the days to come. He's going shopping with me today." She smiled. "Trust me. He needs to get something to wear that isn't black or made of... what did you say, fire demon skin?"

"An adult fire dragon that was five stories tall, which I beheaded with my scythe," Illyria clarified. "And my son will train first before going... shopping."

"Right. A fire dragon. Uh-huh. And how long does he train with you?"

"He..." Illyria blinked, unsure of it. "... I am still trying to become accustomed to concepts of time measurements that are hours and minutes. Days I tell by positioning of the sun and moon."

"Well you want your son to know what it's like being a normal teenager, right?"

Illyria blinked again, confused and for some unknown reason just agreeing, "Well...yes."

Cordelia smiled. "Well, that doesn't include training with his mother. I'll take him shopping, show him around, and we'll be back for lunch. Sound good?"

"I... suppose..." Illyria muttered.

"Good. See you for lunch." She took Connor's arm and they left the lobby, closing the doors firmly behind them.

Illyria just stood there, staring at the door for a bit before she comprehended what just happened. "... I cannot believe that just happened. How did she do that?"

"It happens all the time," Fred said, walking down the stairs almost hesitantly. "She sort of overwhelms people. Even a ghost once, I think. I would have liked to see that."

"Winifred," Illyria said, for the first time dropping her last name along with the first. Like Fred, she felt a little uneasy.

"Please, call me Fred. I never liked my given name."

"...I do not believe can continue to co-exist within this place feeling as we presently do about each other."

"I don't think it will go away soon," Fred said slowly, coming to a stop before the demon woman. Her brows creased and she reached up to touch the hair so like hers, and yet... not. Before she made contact, she jerked her hand down and flushed. "I'm sorry. It's just... very weird."

"Then what do you wish to know?" Illyria asked her.

"Do you keep your word?"

"I do."

Fred tilted her head. "Do you mind if I confirm that with Connor? He knows you better than I do."

"Do what you wish to make yourself feel easier about me." Illyria replied.

"Thank you. I would only ask that you do not go about looking like me, without my knowledge. That, I think, would make me feel much better."

Illyria paused for a moment. "Very well. I can understand how my assuming your total form would be unnerving."

Fred smiled hesitantly. "Unnerving... is one way of putting it," she said. "Did... did you like your visit to the city?"

Illyria smiled slightly. "The evening was most enjoyable." She paused in thought. "Might ask you something."

"Um, okay."

Illyria didn't say anything. Rather she changed appearance again, however her clothes were not like Fred. Instead, they were black pants, a red shirt. Her skin tones were normal like Fred's. However the eyes were still Illyria's blue instead of Fred's green and her hair retained its blue streaks. "Does this appearance unnerve you as much as appearing exactly as you do, or is this form acceptable to you for me to use when I go out amongst humans?"

Fred smiled, a little more relieved. "You could be my sister," she said. "They might mistake you for me, but that is normal for a sister, I think." She paused, wistful. "I always wanted a sister growing up."

"Sister..." Illyria let that roll off her tongue for a moment before looking back at Fred, "Thank you for saying this acceptable, Win...I mean Fred."

Fred's smile firmed up. "You're welcome. I know it's got to be weird, to be in a different time, and in a different situation. Please, give Charles a little time. He's... rough around the edges, still."

"I know. He is not an unpleasant sight on my eyes," Illyria stated, "and I don't find it weird. I'm very grateful. I am uncertain how it all happened, but I do not care. The future hell I went through, I can stop it. I will stop it." She added softly, "they will not die this time."

"They?" Fred asked, hesitant again.

"Angel, Charles...Wesley," Illyria muttered softly. "I will not allow their deaths to be repeated."

"You are... fond of Wes?" Fred asked, an odd note in her voice.

Illyria nodded, "I am."

Fred stared at her. "I realize that I am merely human," she said, "but if you hurt him, I will find a way to hurt you."

Illyria's eyes hardened. "How dare you assume I would harm Wesley. You have no idea of the grief I felt when he died in my arms so many years ago. I mourned and longed to see him and when I raised Connor could admit that I lo..." She trailed off, knowing just how much her emotions had let her slip.

Fred nodded. "I wanted only to make sure," she said gently. "He's gone through a lot, and most of us here miss him. I would not see him hurt again." Then she leaned closer, conspiratorially. "And I will keep your secret," she said softly. "Because while it is not the same, I love Wes, too."

Illyria blinked, surprised by what Fred had just done. A slight smile came to her lips. "I think I shall be glad to know you in this life Fred."

"I think I am glad to know you, as well, Illyria."

-----

A cemetery.

Holy ground. Place where the dead are laid to rest. Sometimes where the dead rise up as the undead if they are unfortunate enough.

For Justine, it was where half her soul felt buried, because her twin sister Julia was buried here.

"Red roses, you loved them best didn't you?" Justine asked somberly to the wind, laying the roses down on her twin's grave. "Julia, I miss you so much. Not a day goes by that I don't think of you." She bowed her head in shame, "and in turn I've become something you would be disgusted with. You cared so much for people. More than I ever did. I was the fighter, you were the pacifist."

She smiled bitterly, remembering her past. Their parents died when they were ten, and they were forced to live on their own, trying to avoid child welfare so that they would never be separated. Yet through all their time running, Justine had been the one that resorted to her fists to get results while Julia had used her mind and diplomacy.

Together they had been able to form a life together, one that gotten them through many hardships, only to be ruined at the hands of a vampire, something that wasn't even supposed to exist.

"No one would do a thing, no one would believe the truth. They stay wrapped in their fantasies, believed the lies to keep themselves safe. I hated it. I hated them for being so damn stupid!" Justine shouted. "If they didn't do anything I would, and I did. Every night I went out looking for a vampire to dust. Kill enough of them and maybe I'd do something with my life. Then Holtz came, showed me how to fight, showed me what I thought was my purpose..."

The tears came down her face as she put her hands on the gravestone. "But it was all a lie. All he wanted was vengeance. It was never about justice, about helping us. It was about him, never thinking about what his actions might do." The tears continued to flow down her face. "Like I have... I've just been so caught up in finding vengeance, finding a purpose that I've fallen down so far... I don't know if I can ever get up."

By now she was nearly a quivering mess, spilling out all of her sins and problems on to the gravesite. "Julia, Julia forgive me!" she sobbed, wondering just what her sister would think of her now. How she could have...

Her self-condemnation was interrupted by feeling a gentle touch on her shoulders, followed by a gust of wind that came past Justine.

_Live._

Justine's eyes went wide, hearing a voice through that wind with a single word. She stared back at the gravestone and whispered, "... Julia?"

There was no answer to Justine's call. No one but her was in the graveyard.

Getting up off her feet, she looked up at the sky and then to the gravestone of her twin. "... Thank you Julia."

Silently, Justine walked away from the graveyard, and for the first time since her sister's death felt the weight on her soul lessen.

-----

It was late in the afternoon when Lilah walked through a dingy, half-empty bar to a table where she saw Wesley. She didn't find it odd for him to be in a place like this. _Though I was expecting him to have a lot more than just three shot glasses in front of him._ she mused as she walked to him. "Mind if I join you?"

"On many levels and with great intensity," Wes said casually as he poured a shot into his beer.

_Is... is his tone just a little bit not too depressed?_ Lilah questioned as she sat down. "How's your throat? Need a lozenge? Life's something, huh? One day you're a pivotal figure in the big battle, next thing you know, you're thrown out on your lonesome. No one even cares what you think any more. Well... I care."

"You care?" Wesley asked.

"As one human being to another," Lilah smiled, raising an eyebrow at Wes. "Just kidding. I care that your great big brain is going to waste. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Angel Jr. a thing without precedent in human history?"

"You're wrong," he said as he took a sip of his beer. "Mesopotamian, Greek, Hindi, Celtic myth, the bible, even Darwin, all support the coming of something that wasn't possible before."

"Okay," Lilah agreed half-heartedly, "the impossible is here. But what does it mean? Is it the herald of a new age, better things to come... or the mass-destruction of everything we hold dear?"

"Yes. Every child born carries into the world the possibility of salvation or slaughter."

"And one born to two vampires carries it in spades. Now, my people will be rooting - for slaughter. And your people..." Lilah paused for a moment "Oh sorry. Your _former_ people, they won't know what to do if things turn sour."

Wesley laughed. "Oh you couldn't be more deluded, Lilah."

"E-excuse me, are you laughing at me?" Lilah blinked, feeling confused yet again. "Wes, consider if the kid's the next Stalin, do you kill him? You can't! He's Angel's son. But on the other hand, if you just watch while he up and kills Angel or somebody else..."

"Except he won't," Wes said as he finished his drink, leaving it down on the table, "Connor doesn't hate Angel."

Lilah just rolled his eyes at Wes, "Are you in denial or something here, Wes? The kid was raised by Holtz, who hated Angel. This is all some manipulative scheme that boy wonder has cocked up. There is no real love here." However her confidence started to fade when she saw the smile on his face. "... What?"

"Lilah, for someone who thinks she's so well informed... well let's just say your informants should be shot and killed for giving you false information," Wes said with a grin.

A grin Lilah knew very well because she used it herself to rub in other people's faces: 'I know something you don't'.

"And for the record," Wes added getting in close to her, "I'm not your friend, and I have no wish to be a part of your firm." He got even closer to her and whispered, "and I have no intention of bring you home to have sex in my bed."

_...EXCUSE ME!!!_ All of the emergency lights in Lilah's brain went off like it was the Fourth of July.

"Have a nice evening," Wes said with a cocky grin as he left her alone at table.

Lilah took a few minutes before shaking herself out of her stupor, "Okay. Something's up here. And this ain't woman's intuition telling me so. ...hrm?" Lilah looked down at the table, and a frown formed on her face as she was not happy with Wes's parting joke.

Sticking her with his bill.

-----

Illyria and Angel were standing in the middle of the lobby alone.

"How long is it now?" Illyria asked.

Angel looked at his watch, "About seven o'clock." He sighed. "Long past lunch time."

"What can she be doing with my son? What can shopping possibly be that it takes such a long time?" Illyria asked Angel.

"Well, actually it depends on the person really. For average people it can be like a simple hour or two."

"And with Cordelia?" Illyria questioned.

"Well, she can shop with the best of them... but I gotta admit this is late even for her," Angel muttered. He then looked back at Illyria and noticed her appearance. "... Does Fred know that you are..."

"Wini... Fred was the one told me that this appearance was acceptable for me to use to go out in public among humans," Illyria explained.

"Well you do look different enough," Angel mused. It was then that the doors of the hotel opened up.

However, to both Illyria and Angel's surprise, there were just a lot of shopping bags coming through, until they just fell down, revealing an overburdened Connor.

"Connor!" Illyria cried, rushing to him. Angel followed.

Connor let out a breath as he pulled himself out of the mess of bags. "And I thought the Gulags of Kitian were a nightmare... these malls, there's no end to them."

"Um... hi," Cordelia said hesitantly from the doorway.

"Cordelia," Angel muttered.

"Yeah um, I know I said we'd be back by lunch," Cordelia started to say, not liking the angry look on Illyria's face as she was advancing on her. "But we hit a snag. See, for some bizarre reason, my credit card got frozen so I didn't have any cash to use."

"Then what is all this!" Angel exclaimed, "It looks like you cleared out an entire department store! How did you pay for all this?"

"Actually that was my fault dad," Connor sighed.

Both Angel and Illyria turned to Connor with confusion. "Explain," his mother asked.

"Well, I thought Cordelia shouldn't pay with her own money, so I decided to pay for my clothes myself." Connor explained.

"Pay with what?" Angel asked. Connor tossed over to his father a small leather pouch, which he opened... and his jaw dropped when he saw the contents.

"I just thought they were pretty stones when I was kid and collected a bunch of them. Wasn't until much later that I realized they could be used for jewelry." Connor explained.

"Rubies... emeralds... diamonds," Angel mouthed.

"Such stones are rather commonly found in Quor-toth. So is silver, although the elements of gold and copper do not exist." Illyria said calmly.

"You know how hard it was for me to find an appraiser for just one diamond and then I had to haggle with him on the price," Cordelia told them. "It went on for a while and then finally after we had settled on a nice five digit number, we went to the bank to cash the check so I could clear my credit debt. After that, we went back to the stores, where I proceeded to give Connor the best wardrobe his money could buy."

Both Angel and Illyria were speechless at this point, which made Cordelia start going through her purse.

"Look at it this way; I have enough clothes to last me a year... at least." Connor breathed a sigh of relief, thankful his ordeal was over. "Which means I don't have to do shopping again for at least that long."

_FLASH!!!_

Angel and Illyria blinked from the sudden flash, seeing Cordelia now with a camera in her hands. "This is so the perfect end to a perfect day!" Cordelia squealed, earning her a dirty look from both of Connor's parents. "What? You think I'm not gonna capture your faces looking like that for prosperity?"

"I want that film." Angel said.

"No, and you know the picture I took last night? That will be developed in two days." Cordy chirped.

Illyria glanced at Angel. "... how do you live with this female?"

"No comment," Angel mouthed softly to her.

"What was that?" Cordelia asked.

"Nothing," Angel said quickly, "hey, Cor, we're going to the movies tonight. Gunn and Fred already left with Lorne. You wanna come?"

Cordelia sighed. "I'd like to, but I can't. Groo and I are supposed to have some one-on-one time, and I am already so late getting home."

"Oh. Right. You should do that," Angel said to her.

"Well, I'll see ya all tomorrow," Cordelia smiled before leaving.

"Um dad? What's a movie? Is it like the pictures on those t...tel... televisions I saw when passing stores with Cordelia?" Connor asked.

"Why don't you come and see. It'll be your first movie." Angel smiled. He turned to Illyria, "Want to join us?" His smile however dropped when he saw her suddenly serious face.

"You will be attacked tonight by Wolfram and Hart, yet you will be victorious even though I will not be there," Illyria said to them.

"What?" Angel muttered, his fists starting to clench.

"It is what happened to Fred in my original timeline," Illyria explained. "You cannot avoid a confrontation."

"I don't plan on it," Angel growled. "I want to make them understand that my family is off limits."

"A movie and a fight," Connor said, "sounds like fun. Could use some after this hellish day... But its not like you to turn away from a fight mom."

"I am not turning away, Connor," Illyria replied, "I am simply doing what I have to... but none the less be careful." She changed back to her true form and made a portal appear before her. She stepped through it and the portal vanished.

Angel just stared at it for a while before looking at his son. "How long as she had that power?"

"Only for the last two, maybe three weeks. If she could have escaped from Quor-toth sooner dad, she would have."

"Just checking. So, ready?"

"For the movie or the ambush?" Connor asked.

"Well... both actually."

"Um... yeah."

-----

"Hi, honey. It's me! Sorry I'm late!" Cordelia called out once she got inside of her apartment. "It's just that you wouldn't believe..." She dropped her things on the table and turned to see Groo standing in the bedroom looking downcast. "Groo... what's wrong?"

"I am," he said sadly, "wrong. For you."

"What?" Cordelia blinked. "Groo, what are you talking about?"

"I am not the one you love," Groo said softly and emotionally, "Angel is."

"A... Angel?" Cordelia stuttered. "I love Angel? What are you talking about? I love... you know... us."

"I wished it was... but it is not." Groo shook his head. "I see you when you are with him. I see how you are connected, how you finish each other's sentences. When you laugh, you laugh with him. When he is in pain, you are there for him. He is what you want. Not me."

He paused for a moment, trying to get this out without losing the courage to do so. "In my heart I have known the truth for some time. I've just been... struggling... to find the courage to do what is right."

Cordelia could feel the tears starting to form, overwhelmed by this admission from the man that had been her boyfriend now for sometime. "I...I don't know what to say, Groo."

"Tell me I'm wrong," Groo replied, "that I should stay. That you love only me."

Cordelia looked at Groo hard, blinking away her tears... but remained silent.

Groo sighed, lowering his head, putting a hand to Cordelia's face and giving her a kiss on her lips. "... I wish you a great life, princess." He walked away from her, getting his bags.

He left a heartbroken Cordelia Chase standing in the room alone, not sure of her own emotions any more.

-----

In a tree above the front walkway, Illyria watched the Groosalug leave Cordelia's apartment, his bags in hand, never to return again. From her memories as Fred, Groo had just up and vanished on this night, as did many other friends. Lorne, Angel... _And Cordelia._

Illyria could feel the sadness coming off of Cordelia even from where she stood, watching her like a hawk. She felt something of pity for the woman, but pushed it aside for the moment.

_This is the critical moment. Sometime this night, Jasmine will infest her..._ A cruel smile graced her lips. _Or would have infested her that is. After tonight, there will be one less evil to worry about._

She gave a moment to ponder about her son, wondering how he'd like the movie and violence for the evening.

-----

"Where did humans come up with these machines?" Connor asked in amazement as he saw on the big screen a helicopter, which launched some rockets and fired its guns.

"Mankind has advanced pretty far in two centuries," Angel admitted. "I mean I remember it when we were just using horses instead of cars."

"Pretty archaic times huh boss?" Gunn quipped over from his jeep, where Fred and Lorne were. Angel and Connor were in Angel's convertible.

"Maybe to you," Angel returned.

"Stupid question Angel-cakes," Lorne spoke up, "but if W&H are going to attack us..."

"They would have come after us eventually once they found out Connor was back," Angel reasoned. "This way, with Illyria's heads up, we're ready for them."

"Still have my own trust issues with Smurfette," Gunn muttered, only to get pelted by a few pieces of popcorn by Connor. "Hey!"

"Would you stop calling my mother that stupid name?" Connor frowned.

Gunn shook his head. "No. Way."

"Well personally, I'm not completely comfortable with Illyria yet," Fred said, "but she doesn't have anything to gain by lying."

Gunn blinked, looking at Fred strangely. "Come again?"

"We had a talk. Really helped clear out the whole identity theft concern," Fred as she finished off her popcorn.

"You finished off that jumbo tub all by yourself Fred-ikins?" Lorne asked in disbelief.

"Free refills," Fred said pushing her empty tub to Lorne.

Gunn let out a chuckle. "God has blessed me with such a wonderful woman."

"Oh, Charles," Fred blushed.

"Um dad..." Connor spoke up.

"Yeah son?" Angel asked.

"Is that a real plane or part of the movie?"

Everyone looked up to see what Connor was seeing. A real helicopter with a searchlight pointing down came flying up over the edge of the movie screen. Some lines were lowered out of the side of the helicopter and three guys in nondescript black combat uniforms started to rappel down them... with more right behind them.

It was when the searchlight focused on Angel's car that they realized they had trouble.

"Um, Houston, we have a problem." Lorne muttered.

"Lorne, Fred, get down. Gunn, Connor, you're with me," Angel ordered.

"Looking forward to seeing how good these guys are," Connor said with a smirk as he, Angel and Gunn got into a fight with three Commandos. The Commando Connor was fighting tried to hit him in the stomach, only Connor jumped up and landed a kick to his opponent's temple. The Commando crumpled to the ground unconscious.

Connor kicked the downed man lightly, trying to get him to get up. He didn't. "They think guys like this can capture me? Who do these weaklings work for? Slacor demons that have the brains of an insect?" he asked disgusted and disappointed with how fast the fight ended. "They could have sent demons at least."

Gunn watched that exchange with concern. "You know you have to get him a hobby outside of demon fighting, boss." he said while fighting off a commando.

"He was raised inside of a hell dimension Gunn," Angel replied while fighting off another commando. "This how he thinks!"

"Yeah, well, he needs to find other ways to have fun," Gunn replied, "like maybe, I don't know, shooting hoops?"

"Hoops?" Connor asked, coming to Gunn's aid by striking down the commando he was fighting and then worked with him to knock him out.

"I'll show you tomorrow," Gunn smirked.

-----

Inside of a van parked a little way from Angel's Car, Linwood was not having a good time. "Could you explain to me, Gavin, why it appears to me that they were _expecting_ us?!"

Gavin Park just shook his head. "I have no answer for you sir... but I feel confident that we will get the boy." _Now I know why Lilah decided not to be a part of this operation. So she doesn't get heat if it blows up in our faces._

Linwood growled as he watched at the fight. "He tied me up, threatened me with sharp objects, but he shouldn't have let me go. That was your mistake, you stinking vermin!"

"The kid's pretty good," Gavin said, ignoring Linwood's rant.

"Oh, I can't wait to get my hands on him, cut him open, see what makes him tick!" Linwood rubbed his hands in anticipation. "The Senior Partners will be sure to reward me for this."

"We feel that we will be able to win this fight. We have considered everything in preparing this stratagem to capture the boy."

"What weren't you counting on?" Linwood asked.

Before Gavin could reply, the van suddenly took off, speeding fast and shaking the two lawyers up.

"What the hell!" Linwood snapped.

Gavin got back to his feet and shouted, "Stop this van now!"

The van stopped abruptly and both Gavin and Linwood fell against the wall dividing the driver's side from the passenger's side. Groaning, Linwood got up and slammed on the wall. "You moron! What do you think you are doing! I'm going to have you killed once this is over, and then I'll have you fired!"

Not long after he said those words, a double-barreled shotgun emerged from the driver's side and was right in Linwood's face.

"Funny. I could say the same thing about you." An unfamiliar voice spoke.

"...what the?" Linwood mouthed.

"Your driver is currently unconscious on the pavement. You, on the other hand, will be dead if you don't call off your strike team." The gun cocked. "You have five seconds to comply."

Linwood found that he couldn't get his walkie-talkie fast enough.

-----

"Well, for a supposed ambush, I gotta say I don't feel sorry for the bad men in black," Lorne mused as he and Fred watched Angel, Gunn and Connor beat back the commandos. Suddenly came a voice came from the external speaker on the helicopter. "Abort! Abort! Abort! Abort!"

Angel recognized the voice. "Linwood," he growled as he watched the commandos melt away and the helicopter veer off.

"Who?" Connor asked, but before anyone could respond, a black van moved toward them, stopping about five feet away.

Angel went over to the van, ripped the doors off, finding Linwood and Gavin... only to see that the former had a shotgun barrel aimed at the back of his head from the driver's side.

"Friend of yours?" Linwood muttered, his tone showing his disgust.

"Not to my knowledge, but they might become one tonight," Angel said as he reached in and pulled Linwood out.

"Hey! Yeah, okay. Easy. Easy. Easy. Now we're even." Linwood pleaded.

"Wrong," Angel spat, shoving the man against the van. "Give me a reason not to kill you for this."

"Thought you didn't do killing."

Angel and the rest of his team froze as Gavin got out of the van... and then Justine followed, holding the shotgun aimed at the back of his head.

"You really do attract bad company," Justine quipped.

"You?" Gunn asked. "You come here and help us?!" His tone showed just how much of a shock this was.

"I guess you all know each other," Gavin observed.

"We were on opposite sides, her being Holtz's lackey and all," Angel stated.

"And Holtz died in Quor-toth. Think that's fitting considering how he used me," Justine said, looking into Angel's eyes. "Came looking for you. I didn't want to move on without trying to clear things up. When I saw this thing and the army guys, I knew something was up." She shot a glance over at Gavin and Linwood. "You might as well have giant neon lights that say 'We're evil. Be aware.'"

Angel looked back at Justine. He didn't pick up any lying or deception in her voice. It sounded purely sincere... and there was the slight fact that he saw she had a nervous twitch every time she looked at Fred.

_Looks like someone's been busy,_ Angel mused as he turned his attention back to Justine. "What do you want?"

"A purpose, a higher meaning, something worth living for," Justine said. "You hiring?"

"Excuse me?" Fred blinked.

"No. Oh, no, come on, boss." Gunn shook his head.

"Gunn," Angel growled, fixing him with a stare. "Before you start going off, remember," he looked back at his enemies, "we are with company."

Gunn kept his mouth shut, knowing it wouldn't be good to have the suits learning about Illyria just yet.

"You want me to believe you?" Angel asked Justine, who nodded. "Then sing."

Justine blinked but thought better of it. "Isn't it Ironic? Don't you think. A little too Ironic. Yeah I really do think."

"Whoa!" Lorne exclaimed, taking a step backwards.

"Lorne, you okay?" Gunn asked.

"Yeah, I'm good," Lorne muttered. "Just a bit surprised is all... but former evil girl reads rather clean."

Suddenly, police sirens started to fill the air. "Think it's time to leave," Angel said to his team and turned to Justine, "Get in my car."

"That mean there is an opening?" Justine asked.

"It means its open to negotiations and this isn't exactly the best place to discuss it," Angel told her. "Now get in."

Justine didn't need anymore encouragement and she got into Angel's convertible. Linwood glared at her. "You've made a big mistake, girl."

"Wrong," Connor returned, grabbing Linwood up and to the older man's shock, raised the man up off of his feet. "You made the mistake of trying to harm my family." He narrowed his eyes. "Now you pay for it." He threw Linwood to the ground hard. He groaned loudly in pain.

As Connor got into his father's car, Angel addressed Gavin, "When your boss wakes up, give him this message and feel free to send it the Senior Partners too." A beat later he spoke, his voice deadly serious. "Stay away from my son."

Angel turned on his heel, got into his car and left the drive in with Connor and Justine, while Gunn, Fred and Lorne followed in the jeep.

-----

"Well... this is was a waste of a night." Gavin muttered as he helped Linwood into the van. Then he got into the driver's seat and drove off, heading back to the office.

Yet he felt very angered and at the same time curious. How _did_ Angel know they were going to ambush him and try to take his son?

_Think we need to do some checking up on who our favorite vampire has been seeing,_ Gavin mused.

**To Be Continued...**


	6. Chapter Five

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't own Angel. It belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. _

**A Mother's Love  
By David Knight**

**Chapter 5: Turning Point**

Driving. The beach. Probably the two safe harbors Cordelia had in her life. Driving relaxed her, lying on a beach comforted her.

_Except I've never gone at night,_ Cordelia thought, fighting back her tears. Maybe it was stupid of her to do this, to drive out when she was this kind of a wreck, but it was all she could think of. She didn't even want to think on her emotions right now. _After all, they are in such a wringer._

Groo leaving her, telling her that she was in love with Angel. Angel, her boss, vampire with the soul, 'Buffy's ex. Aside from all of the ramifications if that turned out true... _and it just might considering how whacked out things have been since Illyria showed up._ Cordelia shook her head, trying not to think of this. "Damn it!" She looked up to the sky. "Hey! Is it too much for you people, the Powers That Be, to let me have just ONE perfect day! Is it?!"

_BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!_

"Huh?" Cordelia looked back to the road... and saw she was about to collide with a semi. "OH SH---!!!"

Even before she slammed on the brakes, a white light began to stream out from her car. The car was then pulled across traffic and over onto the left shoulder while everything around it slowed and came to a stop.

Including the semi that would have plowed over her.

"... What the heck?" Cordy blinked, but then noticed that she was glowing now. That soon stopped. She looked around and saw all of the motorists seemed frozen in time. Not only that, her clothes had changed to something like a white robe.

"This is so not good," Cordelia mouthed as she got out of her car, wondering just what was...

"Don't be..." a voice from behind her spoke, causing Cordelia to yelp, turning to see a familiar demon behind her, "... frightened."

"It's a little late for that, bucko!" Cordelia snapped. "You got any clue as to how rotten an evening I've had!"

"Sorry. You remember me? I'm..."

"Yeah. Skip. You tend to remember your demon guides," Cordelia replied. "What is going on?"

"I think you know." Skip said

"I'm dying, right?"

"Oh no. No, you're not... dying," Skip clarified.

"Not dying?"

"No."

Cordelia punched him in the shoulder, "Say that part first!"

"Sorry," Skip apologized. "It's not the end. It's the beginning. You're a great warrior, Cordelia. The battle that we're all a part of is fought on many different planes and dimensions. You've outgrown this one. You've become...a higher being."

"Me?"

"You," Skip said with a smile.

-----

A smile that Illyria knew was not a benevolent one as she looked from her vantage point..

_I am glad I followed at a distance. I needed to see how he planned to go about this,_ Illyria thought, knowing from Fred's memories that Skip was merely Jasmine's servant. All his praise to Cordelia, all the talk about the Powers That Be, it was all crock.

And in Cordelia's current state of mind, he was getting her on board without a hitch.

_I already feel the ripples in walls of space. He is already preparing the gateway. This will take absolute precision, _Illyria said grimly to herself, knowing she had but one chance to get this right.

She would not fail.

-----

Cordelia just stood there, taking all that had been said to her. She thought this was right, but hated the fact that she couldn't even leave a message with anyone. Then again, maybe this is what she was meant to do. She turned to look at Skip and he tapped his left wrist. "I ever come face-to-face with those Powers That Be, we are going to have a talk, a big talk."

"You're doing the right thing."

"I'm scared. But I know it's right. I know somehow it's all gonna be alright. What do I do?"

"Just say yes."

"I already have," she said. Golden sparkles appeared around her body as she started to float up in a corridor of white light. Skip watched Cordelia's smiling face as she started to rise up inside of the cone of light, ready to...

"CORDELIA!"

"Wha?" Cordelia blinked, looked forward...

And saw Illyria suddenly appear before her. She shoved Cordelia down to the ground while she jumped upward into the cone of light, vanishing in a bright flash.

"Hey!" Cordelia snapped, "What the hell was that for!?!" She became confused when she saw Skip's worried look. "Skip?"

"The higher being... this is not what she saw," Skip muttered.

_Higher being?_ Cordelia frowned, suddenly with a very bad feeling.

-----

For ages now she had been waiting for the right opportunity to crossover into the dimension of Earth, but in her present form she couldn't survive there. She needed to live in a vessel. _And after all of my maneuvering I've found the perfect one... that will serve as a temporary home, that is,_ she smiled, though one couldn't really tell if she was smiling, as her body looked comprised of bugs.

_That boy of the vampire will serve me well as my champion..._ she frowned slightly as she thought of the time she had been able to observe him. How he didn't seem to hate his father at all. _I wonder what could have caused that to happ-_

_SLICE!_

"ARGHHHHH!!!!" The higher being cried out in pain, looking down to see a blade of green energy sticking out of her chest.

I only knew your human name, Lya'ti'rh. Then again, I should not be surprised that Jasmine is in fact an Old One. 

Jasmine blinked, hearing her native tongue spoken to her... in a voice that was also familiar. Turning around she saw something she didn't expect, in more ways than one. Illyria?... In a human shell? 

This shell has given me much more than my rank as a demon goddess ever did. Illyria said as she pulled her scythe out of Jasmine's body, only to place it at her neck. Make your peace before the finite end. 

You... you side with the mortals? You would kill me, your own creation sister for them?! Jasmine exclaimed.

_SLASH!!!_

Jasmine's head fell to the ground, severed from her body. For my son, I'd do anything Illyria said sincerely as she hacked away at Jasmine's body until there was nothing left at all.

Save the head.

Picking it up by its 'hair', Illyria smiled grimly. _Time to show Cordelia what a mistake she was about to make. _She opened a portal and vanished...

-----

Only to reappear right between Cordelia and Skip, "I believe you recognize this," She said casually, dropping the head to the ground for them both to see.

"Ew... I'm supposed to recognize this?" Cordelia asked, stepping back.  "What is this, Skip?"

"Yes, Skip, why don't you explain to Cordelia about your mistress." Illyria smiled cruelly.

Cordelia looked expectantly at the demon, one eyebrow raised.

"What are you? What have you done? Do you even know?" Skip asked. "Do you know what kind of horrors you have---ACK!" He stopped as Illyria's hand closed around his throat.

"Allow me to explain something to you. I may be in a human shell, but I am an Old One," Illyria said, her dark grin never fading as she materialized her scythe, making Skip's eyes go wide. "You recognize the technique used to make my weapon. That means you know I am serious. You know this will kill you if you don't answer my questions."

"Please, great goddess... maybe we could work out some sort of deal. I mean I am quite flexible," Skip pleaded.

Illyria turned up her nose in disgust. "It is disloyal cretins such as you that cause harm to both human and demon."

"Harm?" Cordelia stammered.  "But I was supposed to..."

"Tell her." Illyria said.

"But I-AHHH!!!" Skip screamed as Illyria dug her scythe slightly into his left side.

"Hey!" Cordelia cried.

"I will continue to push on further until you tell her what you planned to do," Illyria said doing just that, "stopping short of killing you, and then you'll be begging for death."

"Alright! Alright! Yes! The great being I served wanted to use the human to infest and use as a host!" Skip cried out in agony.

"So that she could sleep with Connor, conceive a child and give birth onto itself while leaving Cordelia as a vegetable." Illyria pressed on.

"Yes! Yes! Stop!" Skip cried and Illyria did, pulling her scythe out of his body. Skip was on one knee now. "Man... you are such a bitch you know that?"

"Excuse me?  I was going to become... and sleep..." Cordelia was so furious that she couldn't even form the words.  "And you..."  She began to glow, her eyes so bright it hurt to look at them, and she gestured almost negligently at Skip - who flew away from her, crashing to the pavement and lying still.  Her fury faded into amazement.  "Did... Did I do that?" she asked, glancing almost fearfully at Illyria.

Illyria had a look of similar shock on her own face, yet nodded her head.

"Oh.  Um.  Well, I can't say I regret it," Cordelia said, her voice hardening again.  "And I fell for it! I'm such an idiot sometimes!" 

Illyria rolled her eyes as she picked Skip up and hauled him up over her shoulder.

"By the way, you know the whole trust issue with you? All settled," Cordelia said. Then she remembered her thoughts. "You know what," she said.  "I have someone I need to talk to.  Want a ride back to the hotel?"

Illyria smiled slightly. "How about I give you a ride?"

-----

Angel and Gunn parked their vehicles at the hotel, and everyone got out, though Gunn was still leery of Justine.

"What? Are we going to do this song and dance all night?" Justine asked. "Like Kermit said, I'm not evil."

"I am not a frog," Lorne said flatly.  "Please do not refer to me as one."

"We're mostly on your side," Fred said, almost as flatly.  "Don't make it worse."

Justine fought back a shiver when hearing her voice. "Look. I won't white wash it. I made my choices. They were screw-ups. I want clean my slate."

"Just like that huh?" Gunn asked.

Justine looked back at him. "You'd be surprised what can happen in a day or two."

"Alright. Let's continue this inside." Angel suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Lorne said as they all walked into the hotel lobby.

They were greeted to the sight of Cordelia and Illyria standing in the middle of the lobby, with Skip in chains.

"Hi.  Have fun at the movie?" Cordelia asked.

"... Isn't that Skip?" Angel blinked.

Justine turned from Illyria and Fred. "T--Two of you?"

"Your mortal mind is still trying to fully comprehend what I showed to you," Illyria replied, though a small smile came on her lips. "My parting line to you was to make sure you left the bar."

"... I need to sit down." Justine muttered as her knees gave out.

Fred gave Illyria a confused look.  "You spoke to her?"

Illyria nodded.

Gunn had a smirk. "Well there's something Smurfette's done that I actually like."

"Hey!" Justine snapped, followed by Connor saying, "stop calling her that stupid name!"

"Um Cordelia... What's with Skip in chains?" Angel asked.

"Oh, that?" she asked sweetly. "Well, see, I thought all this time I had been offered something wonderful. But no, actually, I was being prepped for infection by an Old One."

"…" Angel paused for a moment before something clicked in his mind. Something that Illyria had told him from before. He turned to the former demon goddess angrily. "You mean this was what was going to eventually kill Cordelia?!"

"Yes" Illyria nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me!" Angel demanded.

"Because I needed to make sure she and Skip were unaware that I knew of their intent." Illyria explained, "and even though I knew what they planned to do, I did not know where and the exact when of it."

"Oh give me a break. So it's just dumb luck that I ended up on the losing side?" Skip muttered.

Angel was immediately in the demon's face, his anger showing freely. "If we have dumb luck, I'd say your luck has run out, Skip. You don't work for the Powers That Be, do you?"

"Nope. I'm just a mercenary. Selling my services to the highest bidder," Skip said, looking a bit smug.

"What are you smiling about?" Gunn asked.

"Oh well, because well I don't know, you really think these chains are going to hold me?" Skip asked. "And besides what are you going to do other than kill me?"

"Who ever said we'd kill you?" Illyria cocked her head towards Skip, her right arm raised as a vortex suddenly opened up.

"What... what is that?" Skip asked nervously, "I don't like the feel of it."

Illyria simply smiled cruelly, a look that unnerved some people. "My friends in Quor-toth will make sure you're given a proper welcome."

"Quor-toth?!" Skip said aghast.

Ignoring him, Illyria turned to Angel, "Would you like to..."

Angel smiled darkly, "Love to." Both he and Illyria took one of Skip's arms and with a heave, threw him upwards into the vortex.

"Oh this just..." Was all the demon got to say before the vortex closed.

"So... what's going to happen to him?" Fred asked.

"A life of imprisonment and torture with no chance of freedom," Illyria answered.

"And what if we needed information out of the tin man?" Gunn asked.

"He worked only for Jasmine. Now that she is dead, the entire apocalypse she would have brought about is over. We had no further use for Skip," Illyria replied.

"And why didn't you just kill him?" Justine asked, being new to this weirder side of the world.

"I only kill when needed and when in battle," Illyria said simply. "Skip did not deserve the honor to be killed by me."

"But he did deserve the honor of suffering for all of eternity for trying to get me infested with an Old One," Cordelia quipped, though her mood changed when she saw Justine. "And what's she doing here?"

Justine sighed. "How many times do I have to say I'm not evil?"

-----

At Wolfram and Hart, Lilah sat in her office, trying to find out anything that was out of the ordinary in LA. Well, anything out of the ordinary of her ordinary.

_Wes acted like a recovering victim instead of a guy ripe to bring to the firm like I thought. That is a definite sign,_ Lilah thought to herself. She heard her door open and looked up as Gavin came in. "I don't think I ever gave you permission to come in my office."

"Give me a break will you?" Gavin growled. "I need a breather from Linwood. He's breathing down my neck."

"Screwed up getting the kid." Lilah shrugged. "Why am I not surprised? But then again, I figured you'd screw up, Gavin."

Gavin walked up to her desk and looked her in the eyes. "There were two things I wasn't expecting. First was having our driver get blindsided and me and Linwood having a shotgun barrel aimed at our heads by Holtz's former lieutenant."

That caught Lilah's full attention. "Justine? She _helped_ Angel?" she asked in disbelief.

"Add to the fact Angel seemed to actually know we were planning to make a play for his kid and we have a problem."

"Gee. You only figuring that out now?" Lilah said casually, but her insult was clear to Gavin.

"I don't see you doing anything to figure out the problem," Gavin snapped. "As it is you're wasting your time on the burned out ex-Watcher."

Lilah frowned, and for the first time since he walked in, looked Gavin in the eyes. "I'm officially bored now. Get out."

"Fine. Air was getting stale anyway," Gavin muttered as he walked out, slamming her door closed.

_And there's one less problem for me to worry about,_ Lilah said to herself. However Gavin had helped her. _Angel knowing about the play for his kid and Justine helping him... maybe I can play that card to Wes._

-----

"Okay, I have to admit that a lot has happened in the last three days," Angel said to his assembled team.  "I think we need to go over the main points."

"Yeah, that would help the new girl a lot since I'm clueless and no one's bothered to give me cliffnotes," Justine said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Suddenly Cordelia hovered over her.

"In case you have forgotten, girlfriend, you are on probation status here. So no rude comments or sarcasm. Got it? 'Cause I am not in the mood for it," Cordelia said with a firmness that made Justine meekly nod her head.

"How does she do this?" Illyria asked Fred, who was holding a notebook and pen to take notes.

"Like I said, she overwhelms people," Fred replied.

"Ahem." Angel cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "Three days ago my son returned from Quor-toth, now a seventeen year old teenager. Only thing is, this has happened twice. The first time, Holtz was the one to raise Connor."

"Which had disastrous consequences in my original timeline," Illyria replied. "Several years from now, I was engaged in a battle with the minions of the Wolf, Ram, and Hart... I was beaten."

"You?!" Gunn gasped. "She who has a lightsaber scythe that can cut through anything?"

"'Lightsaber'?" Illyria questioned. "I am unfamiliar with that term."

"Ditto," Connor added.

"Let's skip the pop culture reference for right now, kiddos," Lorne suggested. "But Illyria, if you were beaten, why are you ... well..."

"Alive?" the former Demon Goddess offered. "The Wolf, Ram and Hart thought that death was too easy a punishment for a being such as myself. An Old One, siding with humanity. Instead they decided to send me to a hell dimension for all eternity."

"Quor-toth," Cordelia stated.

"Indeed. However the sorcerer that used his powers over dimensional manipulation to send me there, for some reason not only sent me to a different dimension but backwards in time," Illyria continued. "Once I could alter the flow of time. At one point my powers were too great, causing me to be trapped in an infinite loop between past, present and future until it was broken."

"How?" Gunn asked.

"My powers were drained away. My ability to move between worlds, alter time, and my diminished strength were among the most important losses I had," Illyria stated.

"That might explain it." Fred spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "I mean I'm not certain, but maybe there was a small, perhaps dormant part of your original powers left within you. One that could have reacted when the spell was cast."

Illyria paused in thought. "Possible. As I stayed in Quor-toth, my body became accustomed to the power I had at the time. Then as time went on, with training and discovery, some of my powers started to be restored."

"Like your ability to move through realities," Fred said.

"Okay. So far we have a giant battle in an alternate future that ended badly, Fred 2 ends up getting sent back in time and into Quor-toth where she kills Holtz and raises Angel's son until he's seventeen, at which time they come to earth? Right so far?" Justine asked.

"That's one way of putting it," Lorne muttered.

"Over the next three days we have quite a bit of father/son bonding and trying to resolve our trust issues with Illyria," Cordelia continued. "While the majority of you fought off the lawyers of Hell Incorporated, I not only got dumped by Groo but also nearly got infested by an Old One all the while thinking I was really meant to be a higher being." She let out a sigh. "God I am so stupid."

They brought many a blank stare from the group. "... Groo dumped you?" Angel asked, confused.

"I really, and I mean REALLY don't want to go into it." Cordelia said vehemently.

"With Jasmine now dead, the path that would have led to the future that I remember is now obliterated," Illyria said.

"Well that's good," Justine said casually, and noticed no one really cheering. "Am I still missing something?"

"Backlash," Lorne muttered.

"What?" Justine asked.

"Things have changed, but now something else happens in its place," Angel mused. "So the question now becomes, what's next?"

"Gee. You've turned into more of a brooder than I ever thought possible."

_...What?_ Angel froze, and then his eyes went wide and so did Cordelia's. Everyone else turned to face who had come in through the open hotel door: A young blonde woman, wearing a black shirt and red leather pants.

"Buffy?" Cordelia gasped.

"Hello Cordy. Long time no see... and no hugs," Buffy Summers said with a smile.

"Buffy?" Fred blinked.

"As in the Vampire Slayer Buffy?" Gunn asked.

"She's a slayer?" Justine asked in disbelief.

"... No. She isn't."

Everyone turned to see Angel's face, contorted with anger and disgust. Illyria also seemed tense.

"Dad? Mom?" Connor questioned, not understanding this at all.

"'Dad'? 'Mom'?!" Buffy stared at Connor, letting out a laugh before looking at Angel. "Angel, just what have you been up to?" she asked, smiling as she walked over to her former lover. "And what's with this 'I'm not a slayer' thing. I mean, aren't you glad to see--"

What happened next was too fast for anyone to comprehend or stop.

Angel let loose with a stake from his left hand. The stake flew right towards Buffy... and went right through her, as if she was a ghost.

Everyone who wasn't on his or her feet was now, and backing away from the blonde.

"What the hell?" Justine gasped.

"Hell. Kinda of a fitting place for mankind too... don't you think?" 'Buffy' asked Angel, her lips pursed into a cruel smile.

The disgust and hate on Angel's face only seemed to intensify. "How dare you make yourself like her."

"Why? I rather like wearing her skin when I'm talking to you, Champion of the Powers That Be," 'Buffy' said snidely, the malicious grin still on her face. "I would have thought the last few years would have ruined your soul. When I heard you slept with Darla, I felt like I had you."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but Angelus isn't coming back and I'm not planning on killing myself any time soon," Angel growled, and everyone could see just how much he detested this being that looked like Buffy.

"I had the perfect plan you know. To keep you and your lot out of my business, away from your beloved Buffy," 'Buffy' sneered. "Yet some how you managed to head it off at the pass. So, congratulations Angel. You've succeeded... succeeded in pissing me off that is."

'Buffy' walked up to Angel, and when she was face to face with him, a sadistic smile formed on her lips. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the First Evil has arrived. And I intend to make all of your lives a living hell."

**This is not the end... this is merely the beginning.**

_Author's Explanation: David Knight here. For those of you reading this chapter, you are probably wondering why in the world I have decided to end A Mother's Love after only a prologue and five chapters, not to mention ending it the way I have._

_First, as I wrote the story, it started to take on a life of its own, becoming much more than I had intended. _

_Second, I've written quite a few stories that have been really good, yet I have hit writing blocks and have caused me to be unable to finish those stories as of yet. After receiving all of the praise from you readers who reviewed my story, I couldn't do that to you. Especially since you have made this my most reviewed story ever._

_So I decided to break my original plot rather into separate fics. There will be a sequel to a Mother's Love, which will take place directly after the end of this story. _

_However to be fair to you, the readers, I have decided to put off posting any of it until it is completed, and when it is completed I will post it up on ff.net on a chapter per week basis._

_I hope you can understand accept my decision. I hope that the ending I give does bring about some sort of closure and will leave you waiting for more. I ask for you to be patient, as it will take a while to write the sequel in its entirety._

_I can only say this to you all... it will most certainly be worth the wait._


End file.
